The Transported Asset Protection Association is warning the logistics industry about a new cargo theft method known as the “Trojan Driver Scam.”
Unlike schemes based on fake companies or stolen identities, this method involves theft ring operatives getting hired as drivers by legitimate, fully vetted trucking companies.
Once employed, the driver works normally until assigned a high-value load. The driver then parks the loaded truck at a predetermined location during what appears to be a routine break.
A separate crew removes the freight while the driver is absent, making the incident look like an opportunistic theft rather than an inside operation.
The trucking company typically terminates the driver for violating protocol. The operative then moves to another company and repeats the cycle.
TAPA describes the model as a structured six-step process: securing employment, passing checks, operating normally, positioning a targeted load, enabling theft during a stop, and repeating the method elsewhere.
Scott Cornell, who first identified the scheme, said the tactic shows that criminal networks are no longer only creating fake companies; they are infiltrating real ones.
The warning comes as cargo theft continues to rise. Verisk CargoNet recorded 3,594 theft incidents last year, with estimated losses of $725 million. Strategic theft methods, including double brokering and motor carrier number fraud, accounted for 1,839 incidents in 2025.
TAPA said the true figure is likely higher because reporting remains voluntary.
The association recommends stronger background checks and advises brokers and trucking companies to require drivers to remain with a company for six months to one year before handling high-value loads.
Cindy Rosen said the Trojan Driver Scam should force the industry to reassess where vulnerabilities exist, warning that organized crime can exploit weak links from inside legitimate supply chains.
