Identity thieves now target customs payments in cross-border freight

Mexican trade officials are warning that identity thieves are now going after the money that moves with cross-border freight — impersonating companies and customs brokers to steal shipment-related payments, according to FreightWaves on Oct. 4.

In one case cited by Mexican officials, a foreign trade company sent an electronic payment it believed was going to a legitimate customs agency. Instead, a third party had stolen identities connected to the transaction and impersonated both the importer and the customs broker. Fraudsters build lookalike internet domains, pose as executives, and send messages claiming banking details have changed — and the time pressure to release cargo or dodge storage charges can push staff to approve transfers fast. "This urgency can lead a treasury employee to make a transfer without verifying it through a second channel," one official said.

Advance payments to customs brokers are a particular target, covering handling, storage, pre-validation, transportation, and third-party services. Identity-verification company IDScan.net found attempted identity fraud in U.S. cargo and logistics operations rose 213% from 2023 to 2024, from 0.53% to 1.66% of transactions, and climbed another 30% in 2025 to 2.15%, based on more than 1 million verification transactions. Mexico is tightening its own defenses: customs agents must now keep electronic files with customer ID, contact, and tax data. The simplest safeguard, officials said: verify any request to change banking information through a second communications channel before money moves.