Freight fraud · 7 min read
Jakub Wujec
Fake carrier insurance documents and mismatch signals before pickup
Fake carrier insurance documents often fail on details: policy holder name differs from the invoice entity, expiry date already passed, plate not in UFG or AIDA, or PDF metadata that does not match the insurer format. Check bureau data when you have plates. Treat a mismatch as a risk signal that requires review. A scanned policy alone does not prove cover on pickup day.
Key checks before you assign the load
- UFG, AIDA, SKP, ČKP, or local bureau lookup when plates are available.
- Policy holder name matches the legal entity on the register and invoice.
- Expiry date on bureau data, not only on the PDF attachment.
- Vehicle type commercial in register and insurance, not passenger car on freight.
- CMR or cargo policy requested when bureau covers MTPL only.
- Policy analysis upload compared with bureau outcome when your process uses it.
What not to rely on
- Insurance certificate PDF without same-day bureau or plate check.
- Email statement that cover "includes CMR" without policy wording.
- Policy number quoted in the thread without insurer verification.
- Old policy from a prior load with the same carrier name.
- Assuming MTPL equals cargo cover for high-value goods.
- Visual inspection of PDF letterhead as sole evidence.
Why this risk signal matters and what it does not prove
Company existence alone is not carrier verification. A company can exist and still need deeper checks before you assign a load.
Counterfeit cargo insurance hurts when cargo is gone and the real policy holder is not your contracting party.
- Bureau data is point-in-time on booking day; PDFs can be stale or edited.
- A mismatch may indicate fake documents or innocent admin lag after a merger.
- Plate checks need correct registration numbers; wrong plate is not fraud, but cover is unknown.
- Combining bureau results with register and licence checks closes gaps PDFs leave open.
Red flags and common mistakes
Bureau shows no policy for the plate
May indicate expired cover, wrong plates, or a fabricated document. Pause before loading.
Policy holder differs from contracting carrier
Common risk signal after rebrands. Requires current policy or bureau confirmation.
PDF policy date after bureau shows expiry
May indicate fake carrier insurance document or edited scan. Trust bureau on booking day.
Passenger vehicle insurance on a freight job
Register or bureau may show car class cover. Wrong asset type for your lane.
Insurer name on PDF not matching bureau record
Invalid carrier insurance policy layout is a review item, not proof alone without bureau check.
How Certica highlights insurance document mismatch signals
Certica automatically collects and analyses carrier verification data, detects risk signals, and supports your decision before a load is assigned.
Certica queries national insurance bureaus when you provide plates, including UFG in Poland and equivalents in other supported countries.
- Insurance bureau check by plate where the country supports it.
- Register and licence data in the same verification run.
- PDF report attaches bureau extracts alongside register and licence results.
Official sources
- EU VIES VAT validation (European Commission)
- Polish National Court Register (KRS)
- Polish CEIDG sole trader register
- Polish KREPTD transport register (GITD)
- Polish court filings register (RAR)
- Romanian ANAF VAT payer register
- Romanian ONRC insolvency bulletin (BPI)
- Romanian road transport licences (ARR)
- Romanian RCA insurance database (AIDA)
- Czech ARES business register
- Bulgarian Road Transport Agency (RTA)
- Latvian open government data portal
FAQ
How do I spot a fake carrier insurance document?
Compare policy holder, expiry, and plate with the national bureau on booking day. Mismatches between PDF and bureau are risk signals that require review.
Is MTPL enough for freight cargo?
MTPL covers third-party liability, not necessarily cargo. Your process may still need CMR or cargo policy review beyond bureau MTPL checks.
Can I verify insurance without plates?
Bureau plate sources need registration numbers. Without plates, request current policy documents where enabled, but treat gaps as review items.
Does a positive bureau result mean the PDF is genuine?
A positive bureau result means cover recorded there on check day. Still match policy holder to your invoice entity and expiry to pickup date.
Related pages
Certica
Run the same checks automatically
Certica collects registry, VAT, licence, insurance, and domain data in one run, applies risk rules, and saves a PDF audit trail before you assign the load.
No card required. Results usually return in seconds to a few minutes, depending on registry availability.