At a Glance
The most reliable scam filter is free and takes two minutes: check the company’s federal operating authority. Every legitimate broker and carrier has one, and it is public.
Property brokers must maintain $75,000 in financial security – a surety bond or trust fund – filed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under 49 CFR 387.307. No filing, no legitimate operation.
What you will learn:
- The federal registration check anyone can run
- Why a very low quote is a warning, not a deal
- The deposit pattern that should end the conversation
Written by Daniela Quinchia —
Reviewed by
Last updated: 20 September 2026. This guide follows our editorial policy: every figure is either sourced to a named authority or flagged for verification.
What does an auto transport scam look like?
Most auto transport problems are not elaborate fraud. They are a company taking money it cannot deliver against.
The pattern is consistent: a quote below what any carrier will accept, a deposit taken quickly, then weeks of the load going unassigned, followed by a request for more money or silence.
The good news is that this pattern is detectable before you pay anything, using public records and a handful of direct questions. Everything below is checkable in under ten minutes.
Red flag 1: No MC or USDOT number
This is the first check and the most decisive one.
Every legitimate auto transport broker and carrier operating interstate holds federal registration. Brokers must additionally maintain $75,000 in financial security — a surety bond or trust fund — under 49 CFR 387.307, filed with FMCSA. The agency will not register a broker until that security is in effect.
Ask for both numbers. Confirm the authority is active and the name matches the company you are speaking to. A company that deflects, delays or claims it is not required is disqualified.
Ours are published on every page: MC 1648063, USDOT 4251528.
Red flag 2: A quote far below everyone else
A quote well under market is not a saving. It is a load that will not move.
Brokers post loads for carriers to accept. If the posted rate is below what drivers on that lane will take, nobody accepts it. Your vehicle sits. Eventually you are told the price has to rise, or you cancel and start over having lost weeks.
Whether the intent was dishonest barely matters — the outcome is the same. When one quote is dramatically lower than several others, ask what it is based on and what happens if no carrier accepts it.
Our guide on what car shipping actually costs explains the pricing mechanics.
Red flags 3 and 4: Deposits and payment methods
Watch what they ask for and how they want it.
Large upfront deposits before a carrier is assigned. There is no operational reason for a broker to hold significant money before securing a truck. We charge nothing until dispatch.
Unusual payment methods. Wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards and peer-to-peer apps to a personal account are all irreversible by design. That is why they are requested.
Two more in the same family:
- Pressure to decide immediately — a price that expires in an hour.
- Refusal to put terms in writing.
Red flags 5 and 6: No contract, no insurance detail
A legitimate shipment generates paperwork. Its absence is the signal.
No written contract or Bill of Lading. The Bill of Lading is the condition record and the contract of carriage. A company that treats it as optional has no mechanism for handling a claim.
Vague insurance answers. “Fully insured” is marketing. You want the cargo coverage amount, what it excludes, and whose policy it is — the broker’s or the assigned carrier’s. A company that cannot answer in specifics is hoping you will not ask twice.
Our guide on preparing a car for transport covers how the Bill of Lading protects you at both ends.
Red flags 7 and 8: Guarantees and vanishing contact
Two failure modes at opposite ends of the process.
Guarantees nobody can make. Exact delivery hours, transit times that would require exceeding federal hours-of-service limits, or promises to beat any price regardless of the lane. Physical and legal constraints apply to every carrier equally.
Contact that degrades after payment. Responsive before the deposit, unreachable afterwards. Test this early: call the listed number at a normal hour and see who answers.
A short pre-booking checklist:
- Verify MC and USDOT, active and name-matched.
- Compare the quote against several others on the same lane.
- Refuse large deposits before carrier assignment.
- Get cargo coverage figures in writing.
- Confirm you will receive a Bill of Lading.
- Call the number and speak to a person.
Explore the full carrier-vetting toolkit
- Spotting transport scams — Red flags before you pay anything.
- Auto transport FAQs — The questions we get most.
- 7 costly car shipping mistakes — What goes wrong and how to avoid it.
- How much does car shipping cost — Every factor that moves the number.
- How long auto transport takes — Realistic transit windows.
- How to prepare a car for transport — Pre-pickup checklist.
- Door-to-door car shipping — How pickup and delivery work.
- Open auto transport — The default method explained.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if an auto transport company is legitimate?
Ask for the MC and USDOT numbers and confirm the operating authority is active with FMCSA. Brokers must also maintain $75,000 in financial security filed under 49 CFR 387.307. Both records are public.
Is a low car shipping quote always a scam?
Not always, but a quote far below what carriers on that lane accept is a practical problem regardless of intent. The load sits unassigned, and you are then asked for more money or left waiting.
Should I pay a deposit before my car is picked up?
Be very cautious about large deposits before a carrier is actually assigned. A reasonable booking arrangement does not require significant money upfront. We charge nothing until dispatch.
What is the difference between a broker and a carrier?
A carrier owns trucks and hauls the vehicle. A broker arranges transport with carriers. Both are legitimate and both require federal registration. The warning sign is a company that will not tell you which it is.
What should I do if a company refuses to give its MC number?
End the conversation. Operating authority is public information and every legitimate company gives it immediately. Refusal or deflection on this point is disqualifying.
Can I get my money back from a transport scam?
It is difficult once paid, which is why verification beforehand matters so much. A broker’s surety bond exists to protect shippers and carriers when a registered broker fails to perform, but that only applies to registered brokers.
Key takeaways
- Check the MC and USDOT numbers first. Free, public, two minutes, and it filters most bad actors.
- A quote far below market is a load nobody will pick up, not a bargain.
- Large upfront deposits before a carrier is assigned are the clearest red flag.
Get a verified quote — or see our nationwide vehicle shipping service details.
References
- Broker Registration. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- 49 CFR 387.307 – Property broker surety bond or trust fund. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
- How do I register with FMCSA as a broker?. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Featured image: Blogtrepreneur via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0.