How to spot auto transport fraud
Lowball quotes, fake MC numbers, full prepayment demands. Here is how scams work and how to avoid them.
Auto transport fraud is real, and it is preventable
Auto transport scams are a real problem in this industry. The FTC and FMCSA both publish warnings every year. The common pattern: a fake broker offers a quote hundreds of dollars below the market rate, demands full payment by wire or untraceable transfer, then either never books a carrier or disappears with the money.
The good news is the scams follow predictable patterns. If you know the red flags, you can avoid them. This page walks through the 7 most common warning signs and how Whipshipper structures every booking so customers stay protected.
7 red flags to watch for
Any one of these means walk away.
Quote is way below market
If a quote is hundreds below every other broker, that is bait. No carrier will accept that load. Real market rates cluster within a band, scammers race to the bottom of the band.
No MC number on the quote
Real brokers print their MC number on every quote and welcome the lookup. Anyone refusing to share their FMCSA MC number is not legitimate.
Full payment demanded upfront
Real brokers take a small deposit at booking and the balance on delivery. Anyone demanding full prepayment by wire, Zelle, Venmo, or crypto is a scam.
No written contract
Real bookings include a contract with rate, route, vehicle, dates, and terms. If a broker refuses to put it in writing, walk.
Pressure to book immediately
Real brokers give you the quote and let you compare. High pressure tactics (book in the next 10 minutes, price expires tonight) are sales scam language.
No verifiable address
Real brokers have a business address and a phone number that answers. Mailbox addresses, virtual offices, and disconnected phone numbers are warnings.
Demands wire or untraceable payment
Real brokers take credit cards, ACH, or recognized digital payment. Wire transfers, Zelle, Venmo to a personal account, gift cards, and crypto are scam payment methods.
Real broker vs scam broker
Side by side, no spin.
Real broker (Whipshipper)
- FMCSA MC number on every quote and email.
- $75,000 surety bond filed with FMCSA, customer protected.
- $99 deposit at booking, balance to driver on delivery.
- Written contract with rate, route, vehicle, dates, and terms.
- Verifiable business address and phone that answers.
- Accepts credit card, ACH, and traceable payment methods.
- Public reviews on BBB, Google, Trustpilot.
Scam broker
- No MC number, or fake/copied MC number.
- No bond, no FMCSA registration.
- Full payment demanded upfront by wire or untraceable transfer.
- Vague verbal quote with no written contract.
- Phone number does not answer, address is a mailbox.
- Demands Zelle, Venmo, wire transfer, gift cards, or crypto.
- No reviews, or fake reviews only on the broker's own site.
How to verify a broker in 4 steps
Takes 5 minutes and protects your shipment.
1. Get the MC number
Every quote should print the broker's FMCSA MC number. If it does not, ask. If they refuse, walk.
2. Look it up
Go to safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and search the MC number. Confirm the company name matches.
3. Check the bond
Active brokers have a $75,000 surety bond on file. The FMCSA record shows status.
4. Search reviews
Search the company on Google, BBB, and Trustpilot. Real brokers have reviews spread across multiple platforms over time.
How Whipshipper protects you
Whipshipper is structured so customers stay safe through every step. We are FMCSA licensed, our MC number is on every quote, and we carry the full $75,000 surety bond. The booking deposit is $99, the balance is paid to the driver on delivery, and you never wire money to anyone you cannot verify.
Every shipment includes a written contract with rate, route, vehicle, dates, pickup and delivery terms, and our MC number. The contract is yours to keep, save, and reference if anything goes wrong.
Once a carrier is assigned, we share the carrier name and MC number with you so you can verify them too. Both sides are licensed, both sides are bonded or insured, and you can confirm both before pickup.
What to do if you suspect fraud
Stop the booking
Do not send any money, do not sign any contract, do not give your VIN or address.
Document everything
Save emails, quotes, text messages, and the company name and phone number for your records.
Report to FMCSA
File a complaint at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov. FMCSA investigates broker fraud and shuts down repeat offenders.
Report to FTC
Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The FTC tracks consumer fraud patterns and adds to enforcement actions.
Notify your bank
If you already paid by card, call your bank and dispute the charge. Most card payments can be reversed.
Tell other customers
Leave a review on BBB, Google, Trustpilot, and the FMCSA complaint database so others can avoid the same scam.
Frequently asked questions
How common is auto transport fraud?
What is the biggest red flag?
How do I check a broker's MC number?
What is the surety bond?
What if I already paid a scam broker?
Are reviews enough to verify a broker?
Can a broker steal my car?
Why are lowball quotes a scam?
Is Whipshipper FMCSA licensed?
What payment methods are safe?
Should I sign a contract before paying?
How does Whipshipper handle complaints?
Ready to ship?
Pick the path that fits how you want to move.
Every auto transport service we run
Auto transport is not one product. A dealer moving forty units off an auction lane, a collector shipping a numbers matching car across the country, and a family sending one sedan ahead of a move are three different jobs that happen to use the same highways. They need different trailers, different insurance limits, different loading equipment, and different scheduling. Quoting all three the same way is how customers end up with a truck that cannot legally carry their vehicle. Pick the line below that matches what you are actually moving, and the quote comes back against the right equipment the first time.
By transport type
Open Car TransportThe standard multi car carrier and the cheapest way to move a daily driver. Same trailers that deliver new inventory to dealers.Learn more →
Enclosed Auto TransportA sealed trailer, soft tie downs, and no road spray for classics, exotics, and anything you would not park outside.Learn more →
Door to Door TransportPickup and delivery at the addresses you give us. No terminal drop offs and no driving across town to meet a truck.Learn more →
Expedited Car ShippingNext day or two day pickup when the closing date moved or the buyer will not wait. Priority position in the dispatch queue.Learn more →- Budget Car ShippingFlexible dates and a wider pickup window traded for a lower rate. The honest version of a cheap quote.Learn more →
State to State ShippingInterstate moves with one carrier from origin to destination, no reloading and no handoffs between trucks.Learn more →
Cross Country ShippingCoast to coast runs past two thousand miles, priced on lane density rather than a flat per mile guess.Learn more →- International ShippingOcean freight by container or roll on roll off, with the port paperwork and customs filing handled for you.Learn more →
Online Purchase DeliveryBought from a marketplace, an out of state dealer, or a private seller. We collect it and bring it to your driveway.Learn more →- Auto Train AlternativeA door to door option for the Virginia to Florida run when the train is sold out or the schedule does not fit.Learn more →
- Inoperable Vehicle TransportWinch equipped carriers for cars that will not start, will not steer, or will not roll. Project cars included.Learn more →
Oversized TransportLifted trucks, duallies, and anything over standard deck height on trailers built for the clearance.Learn more →
By vehicle
Motorcycle ShippingCruisers, sport bikes, touring rigs, and trikes on soft straps and wheel chocks rather than a bare ratchet.Learn more →
Truck ShippingHalf tons through duallies, with the bed and tow package measured before we quote so the deck actually fits.Learn more →
RV and Motorhome TransportTowed, hauled, or driven by a bonded CDL driver depending on length, height, and whether it is roadworthy.Learn more →
Luxury Car ShippingEnclosed by default, lift gate loading, and a driver who has moved this class of car before.Learn more →
Classic Car ShippingVintage and restoration cars handled with soft ties, no wheel straps on original chrome, and full photo documentation.Learn more →
By who is shipping
Dealer ShippingAuction runs, dealer trades, and port to lot moves on volume pricing with one invoice across every unit.Learn more →- Fleet ShippingMulti unit relocations and seasonal rebalancing with contracted rates that hold through surge weeks.Learn more →
- For Online BuyersIndependent condition photos at pickup so you see the car before it leaves the seller, not after it arrives.Learn more →
- Auction ShippingPickup coordinated against auction release, gate pass, and storage deadlines so you are not paying late fees.Learn more →
- OEM LogisticsPlant to dealer and plant to port movement with reporting that matches manufacturer compliance requirements.Learn more →
- Rental Fleet RelocationSeasonal fleet balancing between markets, priced by the batch rather than one unit at a time.Learn more →
- Military Car ShippingPCS moves timed to report dates, with pickup that works around base access and a deploying schedule.Learn more →
- Student Car ShippingMove in and move out windows around the academic calendar, when every family in town needs the same week.Learn more →
Snowbird ShippingNorth in spring, south in fall, booked both directions at once so the return leg is locked before rates climb.Learn more →- Corporate RelocationEmployee moves billed to the company with the documentation a relocation package and an expense team need.Learn more →
Not sure which one fits? Call (888) 780-6207 and describe the vehicle and the route. A dispatcher will tell you which equipment it needs and what the lane is running, or start with an instant quote and adjust from there.
Auto transport coast to coast, state to state
We move vehicles in all fifty states, and the network is deepest where the freight already runs. Each state page below carries its own lane table, transit windows, and the local conditions that actually change a rate.
Northeast
Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
South
Midwest
Mountain
Read before you book
Most complaints in this industry trace back to something the customer was never told: that the first quote was a placeholder, that the broker on the phone is not the company driving the truck, or that personal items in the trunk are not covered by cargo insurance. None of that is complicated once somebody explains it. These are the explainers we send customers before they book, written to be useful whether or not you ship with us.
- How to Ship a CarThe whole process from first quote to signed delivery receipt, in the order it actually happens.Read the guide →
- How Auto Transport WorksWhat happens between your booking and a truck showing up, including who dispatches the load and why timing moves.Read the guide →
- Brokers vs CarriersThe difference nobody explains, why it changes who is liable for your car, and which one you are actually talking to.Read the guide →
- Spotting Transport FraudHow to check authority and insurance yourself, and the quote patterns that mean a company is about to raise the price.Read the guide →
- TruePrice GuaranteeWhy our quote is the price, and what the industry practice of quoting low and renegotiating at pickup costs you.Read the guide →
- Pre Shipping ChecklistWhat to clean, remove, photograph, and document before the driver arrives so a damage claim never becomes your word against theirs.Read the guide →
- Cheapest Ways to ShipThe levers that genuinely lower a rate, and the ones that only look cheap until pickup day.Read the guide →
- Hawaii Car ShippingPort schedules, island by island delivery, and what the ocean leg adds to a mainland quote.Read the guide →
- Alaska Car ShippingBarge versus the Alaska Highway, seasonal closures, and why a winter quote is not a summer quote.Read the guide →
- Why WhipshipperWhat we do differently on carrier vetting, rate locking, and tracking, stated plainly enough to check.Read the guide →
- Full FAQEvery question we get on pricing, timing, insurance, and paperwork, answered in one place.Read the guide →
- Customer ReviewsHow we handle feedback, what we do when a shipment goes sideways, and how to read transport reviews generally.Read the guide →
Lock your rate today.
$99 deposit holds the carrier, balance on delivery.