Safety
Common car shipping scams
What the most frequent auto transport scams look like, why they work, and the checks that stop them before you pay a deposit.
Know the patterns
The scams we see most often
Bait-and-switch lowball quote
A price far below every other quote gets you to book. Once your deposit clears, the price rises because 'no carrier will take that rate.' A real quote is based on the lane, the vehicle and whether it runs.
Deposit demanded by Zelle, Venmo or gift card
Peer-to-peer payments are not reversible and are the fastest way to lose money. A brokerage fee should be disclosed in writing before you pay anything.
Name and brand impersonation
Copycats run ads using a real company's name with a different phone number, domain or email. Verify contact details on the company's own site, not from the ad or email you received.
No MC or DOT number shown
Every legitimate brokerage and carrier has FMCSA authority. If the number is missing, refused, or does not match the name on the paperwork, walk away.
Pressure to book today
Urgency is a sales tactic, not a market condition. Legitimate dispatch windows are measured in days, not minutes.
Refusal to provide an insurance certificate
You can request the carrier's certificate of insurance through your brokerage. Refusal is disqualifying.
A driver who rushes the clipboard
The Bill of Lading is your evidence. Anyone rushing you past the walk-around and condition report is protecting themselves, not you.
Truck arrives with a paper sign or no DOT lettering
Any truck with a paper sign taped to the window, a handwritten magnet, or no permanent DOT/MC lettering on the cab is an immediate red flag. Legitimate carriers display federally required DOT numbers on the door.
Fraud alert: confirm you are contacting the real Enterprise Auto Transport LLC.
Confirm our official booking number before sharing your information:
Deposit red flags: large deposits (half or all the fee up front), demands for Zelle or Venmo, refusal to disclose the brokerage fee, or pressure to book immediately. A standard brokerage fee is $299 per vehicle, with applicable discounts - if you see these signs, keep calling around.
If someone gives you different contact info, report it here.
Verify first
How to check a brokerage in five minutes
- Look up the MC and DOT number on the official FMCSA site and confirm the legal name matches the company you are speaking with.
- Ask for the brokerage fee in writing, and how much of it is charged up front.
- Ask whether the quote assumes the vehicle runs and drives, and whether any modifications were priced in.
- Request the assigned carrier's certificate of insurance once dispatched.
- Call the phone number listed on the company's own website rather than the one in an ad or email.
- At pickup, photograph the vehicle, the truck's DOT lettering, the plate and the driver's license, and keep a copy of the Bill of Lading.
Enterprise Auto Transport LLC is a licensed property brokerage, USDOT USDOT #2273104 / MC MC #774106. Our only business phone number is (239) 273-4649.
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