The department of transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are already aware that companies out there have been sending out false letters and notices to trucking companies across the industry. New entrant applicants have often complained about receiving confusing and misleading letters and solicitations. These letters are from service providers or third-party administrators as you call them. If you haven’t received any such correspondence, you might have received some phone calls or text messages or probably US mail. These solicitations can be very disturbing and can lead to a lot of chaos in your company.
The Biggest Question Is How Are These Companies Able To Find Your Information And Contact You So Freely?
This is possible because your company information is made available through various sources. If you happen to fill out an application form on the internet or submit any request for a newsletter or click on a subscription button, their bots get active and extract your company information from those forms. Also, these companies contact new carriers and strike a conversation about their status with the FMCSA and the various permits and licenses that they still have to apply for. Because they are aware of the industry and how it functions, they come across as trustworthy. This is where the problem begins for the new applicants.
What Are DOT Compliance Scams? How Are They Targeting People?
- The infamous DOT compliance scams are letters, solicitations, emails, text messages, and calls that are sent out to motor carriers informing them that their
- Biennial update is due and if they do not update their record with the FMCSA, their licenses and permits might be canceled
- Drug and alcohol supervisor training program is out of date and they need to upgrade it immediately if they do not want any fines and penalties to be imposed on them
- Unified registration system compliance is incomplete or not up to date
How To Deal With These Scams And Protect Your Company?
It becomes even more difficult to identify whether you are being scammed or is it a genuine letter of concern. This is because some of these cyber criminals use the names of the most reputable and verified third-party administrators that are already working in the industry. But there are still a few ways to deal with these scammers efficiently:
Verify Their Email Address
It is very important to first verify the email address of the company. It should be a real entity and not just an automated email.
Call Them To Call Them Out
They must have provided you with a telephone number. Ask to speak to their representative by calling that number.
Don’t Be Too Quick To Respond
It is never a good idea to act too fast. You first need to find out whether the company is authentic or not.
Do Not Click On Any Unidentified Links
If you have received any links in their emails, do not click on them.
Do Not Share Your Company Information
Do not fill out any form or subscribe to any newsletters or emails. Do not give out any of your critical information.
There are few reputed DOT Compliance service groups that has always been helping out trucking companies and motor carriers throughout this sector for several years. You can only rely on legit third-party administrators that can help to keep you compliant and functional year after year.