FMCSA authority that allows a property broker to arrange transportation by authorized motor carriers. In a freight fraud review, use this term as a record label rather than as a conclusion about a company or person.
Records can be outdated, spoofed, or changed after a check. Recheck official FMCSA, insurance, bond, and legal records before booking or tendering freight.
Why it matters
This term matters because it helps separate a verification step from an unsupported accusation.
Common confusion
The common mistake is treating this term as a final answer. In practice, it should point to a record, a date, and a verification step.
Example in a freight transaction
A new load offer uses a familiar broker name, but the MC number on the confirmation points to an entity whose broker authority must be checked in L&I.
What this term does not prove
Broker authority does not confirm the current sender, domain, phone number, or payment instruction.
Desk check
- Check authority type and status in L&I.
- Compare legal name and DBA fields.
- Call through a known or official channel before sending packet documents.
Records to compare
- FMCSA Licensing & Insurance records for broker authority and financial responsibility.
- Rate confirmations, broker-carrier agreements, payment instructions, and known broker contacts.
- Email domains, phone numbers, and sender details compared against independently known records.
Official source context
For this term, start with Broker and Carrier Fraud and Identity Theft from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Use it as a source context point, then check the live official page for current wording or status before acting.
Related terms
Source References
- Broker and Carrier Fraud and Identity Theft Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. primary source. Last checked 2026-06-01. FMCSA guidance on broker and carrier fraud, unauthorized USDOT use, suspicious links, SAFER phone comparison, NCCDB, OIG, FTC, and IC3 reporting pointers.
- Cargo Theft Federal Bureau of Investigation. primary source. Last checked 2026-05-15. FBI overview of cargo theft, including strategic theft trends such as identity theft, fictitious pickup, account takeover, double brokering scams, and fraudulent carriers.