When you hear or read the phrase “cargo theft”, you likely picture a twenties-styled heist, or maybe a sneaky rogue who lifts a few packages in the night. While these things happen, they’re less common than obvious full-truckload theft, which is where you should focus your attention.
Few people realize how unfortunate and ubiquitous full-truckload theft is. To be honest, movies aren’t too far off when they depict a cheesy security breech scene. It’s similar to when Luke Skywalker jumped a Storm Trooper and strut around in his gear. He then blends in with the others, and goes unnoticed.
This is exactly how a thief gets in, except he’s not half as cool or honorable as Luke.
[courtesy of http://yourcheeksarefat.tumblr.com/]
So, now you know who and what you’re up against.
[courtesy of http://starwars-gifs.tumblr.com]
And you need to know how to protect yourself from these freeloaders (pun extremely intended)
- If you’re buying from a new carrier, and they have no credit check or application process, that could be a red flag.
- Watch out for carriers who ask for payment up front. Oftentimes, they are impersonators or maybe just unprofessional; it’s not proper etiquette or protocol to expect payment beforehand.
- If a deal sounds way too good to be true, it probably is; always avoid below-market prices and gargantuan promises.
- When you contact the carrier personnel, do your homework! Look up information on the person with whom you do business. Do a search on the person, and make sure the phone number matches the business.
- Ensure all brand logos, uniforms, vehicles, and id badges correspond adequately.
- Ask for proof of insurance, as it could deter them and if it doesn’t you have their information in case they are a shady thief.
Or, you could always hire this guy…
[courtesy of http://forgifs.com]