In this episode of Fraud Girl, host Danielle Spinelli talks with cybersecurity expert Rolondo Thomas, Senior Vice President of Ergon Consulting Group, about the growing threat of cybersecurity breaches in freight and logistics. As the industry faces a shift from traditional cargo theft to advanced logistics fraud, this conversation highlights how cybercriminals are targeting brokers, carriers, and shippers through email phishing scams, Gmail compromises, and ransomware attacks.

Rolondo breaks down why relying solely on managed IT is no longer enough, and how unsecured domains, personal devices (BYOD), and poor email security are putting logistics operations at risk. He explains the difference between IT support and true cybersecurity for freight companies, and shares real-world examples of email takeovers, freight forwarding scams, and fraudulent load postings that have disrupted entire supply chains.

This episode covers practical solutions for freight brokers and logistics providers, including best practices for securing your TMS, training employees, implementing strong cybersecurity policies, and vetting third-party tech providers. It’s a must-listen for anyone in transportation, freight, or 3PL operations looking to protect their data, money, and reputation from digital threats.

If you're searching for insights on logistics cybersecurity, freight fraud prevention, or how to protect your brokerage from email compromise and ransomware, this episode is your go-to guide.

In this episode, Danielle Spinelli sits down with Ben Wilkens from NMFTA to dive deep into the real-world threats facing today’s freight and logistics operations—from phishing scams to fraudulent pickups. Ben shares how his team is simplifying cybersecurity for trucking and logistics professionals, offering practical, jargon-free resources and playbooks.

You’ll hear:

• Why cargo theft and cybercrime are increasingly intertwined
• Common oversights in onboarding/offboarding processes that open the door to fraud
• Key cybersecurity practices even the smallest broker or carrier should implement
• How to vet vendors, ELD providers, and overseas support teams
• Why "trust your gut" still holds up in a digital world of spoofed emails and AI-powered scams
• Real-life red flags to watch for when onboarding carriers
• And how to build a culture where security awareness actually sticks

Whether you're a solo dispatcher or managing enterprise-level risk, this episode is your must-listen guide to staying ahead of the threats while scaling smart.

Resources Mentioned:

• NMFTA Cybersecurity Guidebooks: ⁠nmfta.org/cybersecurity⁠
• Free monthly NMFTA webinars and upcoming October conference in Austin, TX

Host: Danielle SpinelliGuest: Ben Wilkens, NMFTA

In this episode of Tell Me Everything, host Danielle Spinelli is joined by Chris Arredondo of Cargo Chief for a candid and insightful conversation on the evolving freight brokerage landscape. They dive into the intensifying “load board wars” and the growing tension between relationship-driven carrier sourcing and the over-reliance on digital load boards. Danielle and Chris reflect on the vulnerability of transactional models, the need to prioritize vetted, high-trust carriers, and the mounting fraud risks tied to open marketplaces.

The discussion also highlights new tech innovations—especially Cargo Chief’s carrier portal and offers page—that aim to shift brokers from reactive to proactive sourcing, streamlining the booking experience while preserving the human touch. They tackle the role of AI, load board saturation, the importance of digital trust signals, and why improving the carrier experience is key to long-term brokerage profitability.

Whether you're a broker, carrier, or tech provider, this episode offers sharp, real-world takeaways on procurement strategy, tech adoption, and why rep relationships still matter more than robots.

Fraud Girl Friday: Vetting Carriers, SOP Pitfalls & Real-World Fraud Lessons (with Melanie Crane)

In this episode of Fraud Girl Friday, host Danielle Spinelli is joined by Melanie Crane of Carrier Assure for an unfiltered, tactical deep dive into freight fraud, carrier vetting, and compliance best practices. Melanie shares her journey from brokerage to carrier risk analytics and breaks down how tools like Carrier Assure are helping teams stay ahead of fraud trends.

Together, they explore real-life incidents—including a tragic crash involving a carrier with hours-of-service violations—and dissect where safety screening is falling short in many SOPs. They talk about overlooked red flags like dispatch email mismatches, brokered-out lanes, and spoofed insurance COIs. The conversation also covers team-load vetting tactics, MC ownership changes, and why conditional safety ratings shouldn’t be ignored.

Packed with hard-learned lessons, practical advice, and even a few horror stories, this episode is a must-listen for brokers, compliance pros, and freight nerds alike. Plus, Danielle floats a bold idea: should carrier sales reps be rewarded for catching fraud?

In this episode, Paul M. from Ship Sierra shares how his team stopped a $150K cargo theft in progress. A dispatcher flagged a suspicious rate con with odd fonts and inflated pricing. The scammer, posing as a broker, tried to reroute a high-value eggnog liquor load from Maryland to Arizona under the cover of a blind shipment.

Paul’s team acted fast:
• Verified the real delivery via the BOL
• Blocked all scammer communication
• Alerted the manufacturer and distributor
• Delivered the load to a secure warehouse within 24 hours

Paul breaks down common scam tactics—altered documents, spoofed emails, and blind shipment redirections—and shares the new vetting protocols they now use to stay ahead.

Key takeaway: Blind shipments + high-value freight = red flags. Always verify, inspect rate cons closely, and don’t hesitate to escalate.

Listen in and help protect our industry from fraud.

In this episode of Tell Me Everything, Danielle Spinelli chats with Mike Marut about his unlikely leap from TV news anchor to logistics marketer at Revenova. From slinging smoothies at Jamba Juice to covering a cheese-truck crash on I-5 (yes, actual shredded cheese everywhere), Mike shares how storytelling led him to supply chain.

They laugh through conference chaos, branded jerseys, custom sneakers, brunch snobbery, Halloween mishaps (hello, Hamburglar), and why being different really works in freight marketing.

📦 Newsroom hustle meets logistics muscle — and it’s way more fun than you’d expect.

🎙️ Fraud Girl Friday Recap: What I Learned at the Reliance Summit

Danielle shares key takeaways from the Reliance Partners Insurance Summit in Nashville, diving into the latest freight fraud trends:

🚨 Key Highlights:

• Fraudsters target carriers 30–60 days before insurance expiration—using “clean” MCs to steal loads fast.
• Cyber threats are on the rise: phishing, spoofed emails, and hacked documents are making impersonation easier than ever.
• Red flags to watch: sudden contact changes, spikes in load volume, MC recycling, and strange inspection histories.
• FMCSA is labeling scam carriers with “Fraudulent Activity” as their address—check those MCs!
• Contracts matter: use shipper–broker agreements, keep them simple, and include theft clauses.

Fraud is faster, smarter, and more digital—stay alert and stay informed.

In this episode, we explore how real-time visibility is more than just a logistics convenience—it’s a powerful weapon against freight fraud. With the release of FraudGuard 2.0, Descartes MacroPoint is transforming how the industry identifies and neutralizes suspicious activity before it becomes a loss.

By leveraging network intelligence, behavioral analysis, and shipment tracking data, Descartes MacroPoint FraudGuard 2.0 delivers proactive alerts that flag high-risk anomalies—giving brokers, shippers, and carriers a critical edge. Key fraud detection features now include:

• Out of Route Pings
• Stop Truck Alerts
• Emulator or Spoofed Device Pings
• Non-Descartes MacroPoint User Agent Detection
• VOIP Carrier Use by Driver
• Distance Jump or Teleportation-Like Pings
• Multiple Driver Location Overrides in a Row
• Same IP Address or Uniform MPH Across Pings
• First-Time Driver or Carrier in Descartes MacroPoint’s Network
• Historical Spoofing Reports
• Overbooked Driver or Carrier Flags

We’ll break down how these indicators work together to uncover fraud before it causes disruption, and why visibility isn’t just about knowing where a truck is—it’s about knowing who is behind the wheel and what you can trust.

 In this episode of Tell Me Everything, host Danielle Spinelli welcomes her first guest, Dhruv Gupta, the CEO and co-founder of Drumkit. Dhruv shares how his childhood fascination with trucks and trains led him to study computer science and transportation planning at Harvard, and eventually launch Drumkit—an AI-powered platform designed to streamline freight brokerage tasks like track-and-trace, scheduling, and fraud detection. Danielle and Dhruv dive into the realities of working in logistics, emphasizing that success comes from hustle and heart. They discuss the hype around AI, its real-world impact, and why human connection still matters in an industry built on trust. From Dhruv’s first job as a kid magician to his current role as one of the most genuinely helpful people in logistics (earning the title “nicest man in logistics”), the episode is full of insight, humor, and candid reflections on building tech that actually solves problems. 

In this special Fourth of July episode, Danielle checks in from Minnesota to talk about why the holiday weekend is prime time for cargo theft. Backed by recent data from CargoNet, she breaks down the top risks, hot zones (California, Texas, Illinois), and why food, beverage, and electronics are major targets during July 1–7.

She shares real-world tips for freight brokers, shippers, and carriers to stay ahead of scammers:

• Track your drivers, trucks, and freight (even pallets!)
• Avoid unsecured parking—especially at truck stops
• Verify paperwork and breakdowns—don’t just trust, verify
• Use phone lookup tools to spot VoIP numbers
• Stay alert to red flags: too much info, too little, or odd behavior

It’s not just fireworks lighting up the holiday—scammers are too. Tune in to stay safe, stay smart, and keep your loads secure.