FMCSA issues alert about ‘aggressive’ email phishing scheme targeting trucking companies
Federal officials are warning the trucking industry to be on the alert for “a new, aggressive phishing campaign” targeting motor carriers.
On January 30, 2026, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a notice to trucking industry stakeholders about a recent phishing scheme in which motor carriers receive emails falsely claiming to be from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) or FMCSA officials.
“These emails often contain professional-looking documents and legitimate-looking links, but they are fake and designed to steal sensitive information or demand illegal payments,” officials said.
FMCSA shared the following need-to-know information on the phishing scheme:
- These emails DO NOT come from USDOT or FMCSA.
- Official FMCSA correspondence almost always uses an email address ending in .gov. In special circumstances, such as customer satisfaction surveys after contacting the FMCSA Contact Center, emails may come from a non-.gov address. These surveys request feedback only and will not ask for personal, payment, or account information.
- Links in phishing emails typically lead to suspicious, non-.gov domains (for example, fmcsa.web.saferwebdattaconnect.pro).
- FMCSA will never request payment or sensitive information (like UCR, PIN, SSN, EIN, or bank details) through unsolicited messages.
- If you have any doubts, avoid clicking links and verify all communications directly through official FMCSA channels, including contacting the FMCSA Call Center at https://ask.fmcsa.dot.gov/app/ticket or call 1-800-832-5660.
If you receive a suspicious email, FMCSA recommends taking the following steps:
- Do not click on links or open attachments.
- Do not reply to the sender.
- File a complaint with the FBI through their IC3 site at https://www.ic3.gov/ .
- Report suspicious emails to the FMCSA Contact Center at https://ask.fmcsa.dot.gov/app/ticket or call 1-800-832-5660.
- Visit the Federal Trade Commission site at https://consumer.ftc.gov/ for more on phishing and email verification.