Double brokering and broker impersonation: how to spot it
Updated October 2026
Double brokering happens when someone takes a load and re-brokers it without the shipper's or original broker's permission, often leaving the hauling carrier unpaid.
Warning signs
Emails from free email accounts or look-alike domains, contact details that don't match the FMCSA record, pressure to move fast, rates far above market, and requests to change the delivery address or payment details mid-load.
Protect yourself
Verify every new broker on the FMCSA record, call them on the listed number, never accept changes to payment instructions by email alone, and keep every rate confirmation and message.
