In transport, as in any other industry, you can come across some dishonest companies. It is important that you are able to recognize suspicious behavior and defend against it. Here are the red flags that should increase your vigilance.
Examples of suspicious behavior of transport companies
1.Company is encouraging you to make a deal ‘outside Trans.eu Platform’
The reasons for this may differ, but consequences can be very harmful. If a transaction is not concluded through the Platform, it will be difficult to prove an attempted fraud or failure to fulfill the arrangements. Finding offers on the Platform and then concluding transactions, e.g. by phone, leaves us without any tangible evidence and arrangements in the case of encountering a dishonest contractor.
2. Company has an ’empty’, incomplete profile
Lack of issued ratings and references should increase our vigilance. Ratings are some kind of control tools between users, which constitute a confirmation of cooperation with a given contractor by the Platform community. If a company has just joined the Trans.eu Platform, lack of ratings is justified. However, it is worth verifying that the profile is completed with documents, such as licences, insurance policies or company certificates, as well as financial credibility is confirmed by TransRisk.
3. Freight price is suspiciously high and the payment period is very long
If a price significantly exceeds the market rate, it should arouse our suspicion. What business can the orderer have in this? For example, a company acts as an intermediary, but has no good intentions. It has already agreed with the orderer on a particular rate, e.g. 1000 Euro, and the same load is added on the platform again and offered for 2000 Euro. Can you expect to see the money if you take this freight? When the load is delivered, the intermediary will receive the payment and then most likely disappear. Such offers usually have a long payment period so that the scammer has time to do his job.
How to protect ourselves against scammers?
First of all, make use of the verification possibilities offered by the Trans.eu Platform. You will be able to review:
- ratings and opinions of other users
- contractor’s payment credibility
- documents uploaded on the Platform
- certificates of reliability granted by Trans.eu
- size of the fleet owned
Additionally, take a close look at a transport order, pay attention to the payment period and provisions on possible contractual penalties as well as the necessity of providing original documents. Conclude transactions on the Platform! Then all the arrangements, conversations with contractors and full history of activity will be saved there.