FMCSA warns of safety audit scam

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is warning of a phishing scam disguised as a safety audit.

Through an email, scammers pretending to be from FMCSA say a safety audit needs to be scheduled. An attached link appears to have a SAFER URL and mirrors the agency’s MC-150. However, the scam email requests input of the recipient’s PIN, EIN and Social Security Number. That information would allow access to their FMCSA account by the unauthorized party.

FMCSA said the scam email is “very convincing.”

OOIDA has heard directly from members who have received an email similar to what FMCSA has described.

As has been the case with similar scam attempts, the Association advises drivers to keep required documents up to date and to always read the fine print.

Fine print pertinent to this scam attempt are instructions to verify communication is in fact from FMCSA. Correspondence regarding safety audits would come from an FMCSA-dedicated mailbox or from the entity within a state that has been assigned to conduct the audit, the agency said. Those email addresses typically end in “.gov.”

The email brought to OOIDA’s attention as a potential phishing scam came from an address ending in “dot-safer.com.”

A high phishing alert on FMCSA’s website encourages parties to verify any email or communication they feel is suspicious with the appropriate agency or to contact their FMCSA division office directly for further clarification.

Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission offers an email authentication resource page for small businesses.

Email authentication technology makes it a lot harder for scammers to send phishing emails, according to the FTC. Its guide covers how to spot phishing scams and what to do in the event you are scammed.

The Business Services Department at OOIDA can assist with potential scams as well as federal regulations, warranty issues, lease agreements and more. Visit OOIDA.com/business-services for more information. LL

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