Copper Wire, An Innocent Driver, and the Bad Guys.
The difference between a delivered load and a vanished one is often just one confirmed phone call.
This story comes from M&P Logistics. They asked me to share it in the hope that it helps other brokers, shippers, and carriers avoid the same close call, especially with copper wire out of Georgia.
High-value freight has a way of attracting the wrong kind of attention. Copper wire is a hot commodity. What follows is the quiet, step-by-step account of how one shipment almost disappeared. And how a handful of details kept it from becoming another loss no one could explain.
Day 1: Everything is fine.
The load was tendered to a carrier that checked every box. Their email domain matched the company’s actual domain. Their authority, insurance ($250k in cargo), and compliance records were all in good standing.
The dispatcher sent over the driver’s information, including a copy of his driver’s license. The broker confirmed that both the driver and the company had the proper approvals to haul copper wire. Nothing was out of place.
Dispatch confirmed, again.
Everything was fine, as it should be for a standard shipment.
Day 2: The Pickup
The driver arrived at the shipper as usual. The dispatcher called the freight broker several times to establish close communication. The driver called the broker and asked for the pickup number. The broker gave it to him without hesitation.
The shipper verified his identity, his paperwork, and his details.
Everything checked and verified, or so they were told.
The copper wire was loaded onto the truck. The driver left the yard with the shipment secured. Until this point, the load was as ordinary as any other.
The Intercepted Phone Call
As the truck headed down the road, the tracking stopped updating. One ping at the shipper’s location, nothing after.
The broker tried contacting the driver. No response.
Tried dispatch. No response.
Then a call finally came in from the real dispatcher. He asked if they had booked a load with them. The broker confirmed. The dispatcher explained that their email and phone system had been compromised. Before the broker could respond, another voice suddenly cut into the call, “No, no. We’re good. We’re good. Don’t worry.”
The interruption provided zero reassurance. If anything, it sounded like someone inserting themselves into the call to control the narrative, which is precisely what they did.
Driver spills the tea.
The broker managed to reach the driver directly. And everything unraveled.
He admitted that dispatch had told him to stop before arriving at the shipper.
They promised to send him $1,500 via CashApp if he would print and buy magnetic signs for the truck… signs with a different company name.
He didn’t fully understand why. He only knew they insisted. So, he did it.
After the copper wire was loaded, he was suddenly told to take it to a different warehouse. The driver realized something was wrong. Thankfully, the broker and driver arranged for the shipment to go to the proper destination.
Here’s the fake load and rate confirmation.
*Notice the suppressed delivery location and Zelle payment note.
The Shipper’s Missed Detail
Later, the shipper reviewed the event and realized their own SOP had been bypassed:
They do not load trucks with removable signage.
This truck had removable signage.
They also noted that the driver’s phone number didn’t match the number on file, but the load had already been released.
The small details that generally serve as guardrails were overlooked. Just enough to let a well-planned attempt move forward.
It’s Okay. We’ve done this before.
The broker reached back out to the people who had been impersonating the real dispatch. The response was quite casual: “It’s okay. We’ve already stolen four loads.”
Nearly every step leading up to that moment did precisely what the fraudsters hoped it would do:
A verified-looking carrier profile
A cloned or compromised email system
A driver pressured into rebranding his truck
A shipper overlooking their own SOP
A broker trying to decode conflicting information in real time
This copper wire shipment didn’t nearly vanish because of broken broker processes or a rogue driver. It stayed on the map because the driver finally spoke up. And because someone kept pushing past a compromised line of communication until they reached a real, non-criminal human.
Please, pick up the phone!
In a world where a single missed detail can send a high-value load into the dark, the only real defense is vigilance. Carriers, brokers, and shippers can’t afford to assume anything anymore. Verify every document. Triple-check every contact. And when something feels even slightly out of place, pick up the phone and call the number you know is real. The difference between a delivered load and a vanished one is often just one confirmed phone call.
—Danielle (maybe)