FMCSA Posts Phishing and Fraud Alert
Oftentimes when people think of computer hackers, they think of what is known as the “brute force” method: having hundreds of computers trying every possible combination of characters within the parameter limits of a password until one of them gives way to access into the account. While it makes for good cinema, it is not feasible from a realistic perspective, and as such hackers have to be smarter than that. To that extent, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is issuing a warning for trucking companies to be suspicious of any emails seeming to come from them.
Details
The FMCSA has caught wind of fraudulent emails appearing to come from the FMCSA informing fleets that it is time to schedule a safety audit. While the email and link inside appear legitimate at first, the webpage included also requests a carrier PIN, Employer Identification Number, and Social Security number. With that information, the fraudsters can impersonate the fleet and get login information from the FMCSA, claiming that they had simply forgotten the password for the account. Once in, they would be able to completely change the information with the FMCSA, using your own account as a dummy account to defraud others out of actual money.
So what can a fleet do to know if a safety audit is legitimate versus a scam? Perhaps the best method is to not click on any links on the email, and instead access the FMCSA login directly and from scratch. By doing this, personnel can learn for sure if a safety audit is due without compromising the security of the FMCSA account.
Conclusion
Oftentimes, phishers claiming to be with a governmental agency such as the IRS or the FMCSA will have their email contain a sense of urgency, claiming that your driving Authority, CDL, or even freedom is at risk if you do not comply with their intense demands. Our advice to you is to keep a level head when navigating through these emails that may appear from the government, and always do business with governmental bodies directly at the relevant website.
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