When a legitimate email hands the cargo to a criminal
Four in ten stolen loads involved compromised communications
A FreightWaves analysis published on November 7, 2026, covering Highway's Freight Fraud Index says compromised communications were involved in 40.2% of the 184 stolen loads reported to the company's network in the third quarter. Criminals accessed carrier email accounts and requested sensitive shipment data from addresses brokers already recognised. Highway cautions that the figures describe its network, not nationwide US totals. Read the FreightWaves analysis
Verifying the company once is no longer enough
A carrier may have valid authority, insurance, equipment and years of legitimate history while the current message is controlled by someone else. Verification must follow every pickup request, driver change, vehicle substitution and destination update. The authorised contact should be confirmed through an independent channel before shipment details or goods are released.
The product must preserve the exception status
If a compromised account changes the pickup or destination, the lot should immediately become diverted, stolen or under investigation. A Digital Product Passport can connect that status to the physical unit, origin and expected handoffs, reducing the risk of the cargo returning as normal inventory. Explore Sensefinity Digital Product Passport
Proven origin does not demonstrate suitable condition
Recovered cargo can be genuine and still have experienced unsuitable temperature, humidity, shock or transit time. Before reintegration, the decision should combine provenance, custody, condition readings and inspection. FoodSteps applies this discipline of lot control and corrective action to sensitive food chains. Visit FoodSteps
Controls that continue after onboarding
- Confirm sensitive requests through a known, independent contact.
- Do not release full shipment data before validating the requester.
- Bind the driver, vehicle, seal and destination to the authorised order.
- Formally record and approve every exception or substitution.
- Block the lot when communication, route or custody diverges from plan.