How to Tell If a Car Shipping Company Is a Scam: 10 Warning Signs

1. A quote far below every other quote: 30–50% under the market is a hook, not a deal.

2. No USDOT or MC number: Every legitimate interstate broker and carrier has one, and most display it on their website and quotes.

3. Wire transfer, Zelle, gift card or crypto only: These payments are nearly impossible to reverse. Legitimate companies accept cards or standard payment methods.

4. Full payment demanded upfront: There's nothing to pay in full for until a carrier is assigned.

5. No real address: A PO box, a residential address or an address that doesn't match the FMCSA record.

6. High-pressure sales: "This price expires in 10 minutes" is a tactic, not a market condition.

7. No written quote or contract: If they won't put it in writing, it isn't real.

8. Cloned website or look-alike domain: Scammers copy real companies' sites and change one letter in the URL.

9. Suspicious review clusters: Dozens of five-star reviews posted in the same week with no detail.

10. Customer service that can't answer basic questions: Who's the carrier? What's the pickup window? Where's the insurance certificate?

• Go to the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.
• Search the USDOT or MC number the company gave you.
• Check that the operating status is Active and the company is authorized as a broker or carrier.
• Make sure the legal name and address match the website and quote.
• For carriers, check that insurance is on file.

Our step-by-step FMCSA and USDOT verification guide walks through each field.

Bait-and-switch pricing: A low quote, a deposit, then a call a few days before pickup saying the price went up. Read why car shipping prices change to tell a real adjustment from a setup.

Deposit-and-disappear: A fake broker takes a few hundred dollars and stops answering.

Impersonation: Someone uses a real company's name and license number on a fake site. Always call the phone number listed on the FMCSA record or the company's verified website.

Hostage loads: A driver refuses to deliver unless paid extra in cash. Rare with licensed carriers, but it's why you only pay the agreed balance and only as agreed in writing.

• Pay by credit card where possible — it gives you dispute rights.
• Don't pay the full amount before a carrier is assigned.
• Never send money by wire, Zelle, gift card or crypto to a company you haven't verified.
• Get the payment terms in writing before you pay anything.

At ShipMyCar US, you never pay the full shipment cost upfront; the balance is due at pickup. Our USDOT number is 9016315 and our MC number is 57541812.

• Contact your card issuer or bank right away to dispute the charge.
• File a complaint with the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database.
• Report it to the FTC and your state attorney general.
• Keep every email, text, quote and receipt.

For more, see our FAQ on how to avoid auto shipping scams and how to avoid issues with an auto transport broker.

The low-ball: You get five quotes between $900 and $1,100, and one for $650. You book the $650 quote and pay a deposit. A week later, the company says no carrier will take it and asks for $400 more.

The disappearing broker: A slick website takes your deposit. The phone number stops working.

The fake carrier: Someone posing as a carrier contacts you directly, says your broker "assigned" them, and asks for payment by Zelle.

Each one is avoidable by verifying the company and refusing unusual payment methods.

• Verify the USDOT or MC number on FMCSA SAFER.
• Compare at least three quotes.
• Get the price and terms in writing.
• Pay by card, and don't pay in full before a carrier is assigned.
• Confirm the carrier's name and number with your broker before handing over keys.
• Keep all communication in writing.

• A license you can verify, with matching name and address
• Clear written terms
• Real, detailed reviews over a long period
• A physical address and a working phone line
• Willingness to answer hard questions

Losses usually fall into two buckets. Deposit scams take a few hundred dollars and disappear. Full-payment scams, often tied to fake shipping companies set up alongside fake car listings, can take thousands. In the worst cases, buyers lose both the money paid for a car that doesn't exist and the money paid to a "shipper" that doesn't either. That's why verifying both the seller and the shipping company independently matters.

1. Entity type: Broker, carrier or both — does it match what they told you?

2. Operating status: Should be Active.

3. Legal name and DBA: Should match the company name on the website and quote.

4. Physical address: Should match, and not be a PO box for a broker.

5. Phone number: Should match the number you're calling.

6. Operating authority: Should show active authority for the type of business.

7. Insurance or bond: Carriers need insurance on file; brokers need a bond or trust.

• Cloned websites: Copies of real companies' sites on look-alike domains. Check the domain carefully and use the phone number from the FMCSA record.
• AI-generated chat agents: Fast, friendly answers that never give a real license number or company address.
• Fake review clusters: Dozens of five-star reviews posted in a short period, often with generic wording.
• Social media shipping offers: Unsolicited messages offering cheap transport after you post a car for sale.

A common pattern: a car listed far below market, a seller who's "deployed" or "out of the country," and an insistence that you pay a specific shipping company or escrow service that "holds" the car. The shipping company is fake. Never use a shipper chosen by an unverified seller. Arrange your own licensed transport and see the car or a trusted inspection before paying. Read our Facebook Marketplace shipping guide.

Not by itself. Many legitimate brokers take a small deposit to hold a booking, with the balance due at pickup. The red flags are large, non-refundable payments before any carrier is assigned, payment by wire or gift card, and refusal to explain refund terms in writing. See auto transport deposit.

• Your card issuer or bank, immediately
• FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database
• Federal Trade Commission (reportfraud.ftc.gov)
• Your state attorney general's consumer protection office
• The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center for online fraud

Verify every company on FMCSA SAFER, compare a few quotes, pay by card, don't pay in full before a carrier is assigned, and never use a shipper chosen by an unverified seller. Those five habits stop nearly every car shipping scam.

Be cautious if a caller won't give a full company name, pushes you to pay before you've seen anything in writing, can't explain who the carrier is, or gets defensive when you ask for a license number. Hang up, look the company up yourself, and call back using the number on the FMCSA record.

How do I verify a car shipping company is legitimate?: Look up its USDOT or MC number on the FMCSA SAFER website. The status should be Active, and the name and address should match the company's website and quote.

Is it a red flag if a company doesn't ask for full payment upfront?: No, that's a good sign. Legitimate brokers don't need full payment before a carrier is assigned.

What is the most common car shipping scam?: Bait-and-switch pricing: a quote far below the market, followed by a price increase after you've committed.

What payment methods should I avoid?: Wire transfers, Zelle, gift cards and cryptocurrency, especially to a company you haven't verified.

Can scammers use a real USDOT number?: Yes, by impersonating a real company. Make sure the name, address and phone number on the FMCSA record match who you're dealing with.

Is a company with a nice website safe?: Not necessarily. Anyone can build a website. Check the license and details on FMCSA SAFER.

Should I pay a shipping company recommended by a seller?: Not if you can't verify it independently. Arrange your own licensed transport.

How do I know if a car shipping review site is trustworthy?: Look for reviews spread over time with specific details, and cross-check the company's license on SAFER instead of relying on ratings alone.

Is it safe to pay a car shipping company online?: Yes, with a verified company and a card payment that gives you dispute rights.

What should I do if I already paid a suspicious company?: Contact your card issuer or bank immediately to dispute the charge, then report it to the FMCSA and FTC.