Freight fraud · 7 min read

Jakub Wujec

Last reviewed: 16 June 2026

How to detect a fake carrier before you release pickup details

A fake carrier in freight often shows up as a mismatch: active company register but no transport licence, VAT name that does not match the invoice, insurance on another entity, or email from a domain that does not fit the register. Pull those sources on booking day. One red flag is a risk signal that requires review, not automatic proof of fraud.

Key checks before you assign the load

Fresh company register extract dated to today, not a PDF from last month.
Transport licence status in the national register for your lane and goods type.
VIES and local VAT lists: active status and name match to the invoice entity.
Insurance bureau or plate check when you have registration numbers.
Email and domain compared with register address and company age.
Use an independently found or previously confirmed contact channel if contact details changed recently.

Quick triage before you assign the load

Run these checks the same day you approve the booking, before pickup details go out.

Step 1: Pull a same-day company register extract

Check KRS, CEIDG, ANAF, or ARES today. A PDF from last month or a screenshot in a chat thread is not a check.

Step 2: Confirm the transport licence for your lane

Look up KREPTD, ARR, or the equivalent national register and confirm the licence covers your goods type and vehicle class.

Step 3: Match VAT and invoice name to the register

Check VIES or the local VAT list for active status, then confirm the name matches both the register extract and the invoice entity.

Step 4: Use an independently confirmed contact channel, not the email

Use an independently found or previously confirmed contact channel: public contact from CEIDG or the transport register, the company website, a CRM contact, or a number confirmed on earlier loads. Do not rely only on the number in the suspicious email.

If the load is already moving

Contact the shipper or customer directly to confirm who was told to collect the cargo.
Request a GPS or tracking link straight from the vehicle, not a screenshot forwarded by email.
Contact the dispatcher at the licensed carrier through an independently found or previously confirmed channel.
Freeze payment until the register, licence, and contact mismatch is explained.
File a police report if you suspect the cargo has been stolen or diverted.

What not to rely on

Fake carrier cases succeed when dispatch trusts one good-looking document instead of live register data.

A scanned licence PDF attached to an email without a KREPTD or ARR check.
A friendly phone call with no independently found or previously confirmed contact channel.
A low rate that makes manual verification feel optional.
Last month’s KRS extract reused for a new booking contact.
A carrier website that looks professional but does not match domain registration or register address.
Verbal assurance that insurance is "sorted" without bureau or plate confirmation.

Why this risk signal matters and what it does not prove

Detecting a fake carrier is about stacking independent sources. Registers can be clean while contact channels are wrong.

A mismatch across register, licence, and contact may indicate impersonation or double brokering.
A single warning on domain age may be innocent for a young legitimate startup.
Blocked licence or inactive company data from a government source is stronger than an email gut feeling.
Your goal is to stop pickup details going to the wrong party, not to win an argument in the inbox.

Red flags and common mistakes

Register active but licence missing or suspended

May indicate a shell company or a haulier that lost rights. Common in fake transport company cases. Pause before cargo details go out.

Invoice VAT on a dissolved or unrelated entity

Risk signal for identity reuse. Match VIES name to KRS, CEIDG, ANAF, or ARES before you pay.

Freemail or brand-new domain on a large fleet story

May indicate impersonation or a broker posing as an asset carrier. Compare domain age with company age.

Insurance policy holder differs from contract party

Could be a rebrand, but often needs a current policy tied to the carrier you book with.

Pressure to skip checks because the lane is urgent

Friday evening urgency is when teams approve on email alone. Treat speed as a risk signal, not a reason to skip register checks.

When you want these checks in one place

Certica fetches supported registers in parallel and highlights risk signals across company, licence, VAT, insurance, and contact data.

Inactive company, missing licence, VAT mismatch, and insurance gaps surface in one report.
Contact and domain checks run in the same pass as register data.
PDF audit trail when compliance asks what you verified.

Certica

Don't want to do this on every booking?

Certica pulls data from the same registers, checks it, and shows a clear result: what is OK, and what needs clarifying before loading.

Check 20 carriers for free

Signals worth reviewing together

Across supported registers, checks that most often need human review before load assignment are email and domain mismatches, domains registered recently compared with company age, management or ownership changes in the company register, and transport licence scope that does not fit the booked lane.

These are risk signals, not proof of fraud. Clear them before you assign the load.

Official sources

FAQ

What is the fastest way to detect a fake carrier?

Same-day register, licence, VAT, and contact pass. If two independent sources disagree, stop before pickup address and cargo value go out.

Does an active KRS or ANAF result mean the carrier is real?

It means the entity exists today. You still need licence, VAT, insurance, and contact checks.

How many red flags should trigger a hard stop?

Treat serious register or licence mismatches as a hard pause. Contact or domain warnings need human review through an independently confirmed contact channel.

Can any tool prove a carrier is fake?

No. Official registers return source-based risk signals. A missing or inactive licence in an official register is strong evidence. A fresh domain is a weaker signal that still requires review.