How to vet a carrier so you never get double-brokered

Freight fraud is at record highs, and most of it starts with a carrier who is not who they say they are. The good news: a disciplined intake stops the overwhelming majority of it.

The five-minute checklist

Authority + identity. Confirm MC/DOT against live FMCSA data, and confirm the contact email domain and phone match the authority record -- not a free email and a burner number.

Insurance, direct. Get the COI from the insurer or agent, not forwarded by the carrier. Check coverage against the load value.

Watch for identity drift. A sudden change of address, phone, or banking on an established MC is a classic takeover signal.

Never wire to an unverified remit-to. Confirm banking against the signed packet, and be suspicious of any last-minute change.

Do it automatically

Ellys runs every carrier against live FMCSA data with a trust score and double-broker detection built in. Try the free carrier vetting tool, or start a 30-day free trial of the whole desk.

Ellys International Logistics LLC. USDOT 4576045. MC 1820877.