Double brokering red flags

Double brokering is when a carrier accepts a load and then re-brokers it to another carrier without the shipper's or broker's knowledge, often without brokerage authority. In the worst cases the "carrier" never intended to haul it: they collect payment and the real carrier who moved the freight goes unpaid. Brokering without authority can bring federal civil penalties, but prevention is far cheaper than recovery.

Red flags in the carrier's records

1. Very new authority with an aggressive rate or instant availability on high-value lanes.
2. Recently changed phone, email or address on an older authority. It's a common sign of a hijacked identity. SAFER shows only current values; CarrierTell's daily history shows when they changed.
3. Phone or email shared with other, unrelated carriers.
4. Pending revocation or lapsing insurance: a carrier about to lose authority has little to lose.
5. Few or no power units listed, but promising multiple trucks.

Red flags in communication

6. Free webmail or look-alike domains that don't match the carrier's FMCSA email.
7. Won't take a call on the number listed with FMCSA, or the person there doesn't know them.
8. Asks to change payment details or factoring company after booking.
9. Pushes for quick pay or advances before delivery.

Red flags during the haul

10. Different company name on the truck than the carrier you booked.
11. Refuses tracking or the tracking shows a different device or company.
12. Driver doesn't know the carrier name or says they were "dispatched by" someone else.

How to protect yourself

Run every new carrier through the vetting checklist, verify contacts against FMCSA records, require tracking, and pay only the carrier of record. Watching for recent identity changes catches many schemes before the load is tendered.

These are warning signs, not proof. Many legitimate carriers will show one or two.