Transfix is launching a new security enhancement to verify load authenticity and prevent carrier fraud.
“As the frequency and complexity of freight fraud continue to escalate, so does our work to combat it,” said Jonathan Salama, CEO and co-founder of Transfix. “The industry must come together to address the security weaknesses that are impacting carriers and shippers alike, and our hope is that this initiative will generate further action across the sector.”
Industry researcher CargoNet has reported that the trucking industry has seen a 57% increase in Q2 2023 fraud events as compared to Q2 2022.
See also: For sophisticated cargo thieves, use advanced tools
In these fraud events—also known as strategic theft—impersonators act as legitimate freight brokers and shippers. They then contract carriers to deliver shipments but never pay them. To combat this, Transfix has added a unique QR code to its rate confirmations to confirm that the shipment is a known Transfix load. When scanned by a smartphone camera, the QR code will take drivers to apps.transfix.io—a dedicated landing page where load authenticity and shipment details will be validated.
If a carrier receives an unauthorized rate confirmation from Transfix, then the rate confirmation will either not have a QR code, will have a QR code that does not scan, will generate inaccurate shipping details, or will direct the user to a landing page not containing apps.transfix.io.
For additional security, Transfix also recently partnered with Highway, a carrier identification solution designed to reduce fraud.
