Shipping a car should not require blind trust. Before you book, you should know who is moving your vehicle, what the carrier gets paid, whether the price will hold, and how damage will be documented.
The auto transport industry includes legitimate operators: and websites that hide the real carrier, advertise a price they cannot honor, resell your information, or demand payment before anyone is accountable. FMCSA has warned consumers about deceptive practices involving automobile transporters and brokers.
Use this checklist before you book. Every step gives you something concrete to verify.
1. Confirm whether you are hiring a broker or a carrier
A carrier operates the truck and physically transports your vehicle.
A broker arranges transportation by matching your shipment with a carrier. The broker does not usually own the truck that arrives at pickup.
Neither model is automatically a scam. The problem starts when a company hides which role it plays.
Ask one direct question
“Are you the carrier, or are you arranging transportation with a carrier?”
The answer should be clear. It should also match the company’s FMCSA record and your contract.
A company that markets itself as a carrier but later assigns your vehicle to another company has not necessarily done anything wrong: but you need to know that before booking. You should receive the actual carrier’s legal name, MC number, USDOT number, insurance information, and contact details before pickup.
Red flag: The company refuses to identify the carrier or says the driver details will only be available after payment.
Tank Worldwide uses a marketplace model. You see the named motor carrier, its authority, insurance information, and performance record before you accept the shipment.
No mystery truck.
2. Check the company in FMCSA SAFER
Do not rely only on a company’s website, online reviews, or a salesperson’s claims. Check the company through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Use the official FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot. You can search by company name, MC number, or USDOT number.
Verify these details
- Legal name: It should match the contract and booking information.
- DBA name: Confirm any “doing business as” name is connected to the legal entity.
- MC number: Interstate brokers and carriers receive an MC docket number.
- USDOT number: Carriers receive a USDOT number.
- Operating status: Look for active or authorized status.
- Entity type: Confirm whether the company is listed as a broker or carrier.
- Phone number: Compare it with the number contacting you.
- Operating authority: Make sure it covers the transportation service being offered.
- Insurance and bond filings: Review the applicable filings through FMCSA’s Licensing and Insurance system.
FMCSA specifically advises consumers to avoid auto transporters or brokers that do not prominently display their MC number.
Watch for identity theft
A scammer may copy a real carrier’s USDOT number and use it to appear legitimate. FMCSA calls this broker and carrier fraud or identity theft.
Call the phone number listed in SAFER: not only the number provided in an email or text. If the names, phone numbers, email domains, or payment instructions do not match, stop and verify the transaction.
Do not trust a number because it appears at the top of a search result. Confirm it through official records and independent sources.
3. Review performance: not just star ratings
A five-star badge does not tell you whether a carrier arrives on time, cancels loads, responds to customers, or handles damage claims properly.
The best auto transport companies should give you operational information you can inspect.
Look for measurable carrier data
Review:
- On-time percentage
- Cancellation rate
- Claims history
- Response time
- Verified customer reviews
- Authority and insurance status
- Experience on your route
- Equipment type and capacity
Price is only one part of the decision. A carrier with a lower rate but a high cancellation rate can create extra costs, missed appointments, and a second booking.
Tank Worldwide’s Best Match ranking algorithm compares carrier performance instead of simply pushing the lowest bid to the top. You can compare providers using actual shipment signals.
Visible performance beats generic testimonials.
4. Demand itemized pricing and carrier pay
A suspicious quote often looks attractive because it leaves out the part that changes later.
Ask for a written breakdown showing:
- Transportation cost
- Platform or broker fee
- Carrier pay
- Open or enclosed transport
- Door-to-door or terminal service
- Expedited service, if applicable
- Non-running vehicle fees
- Oversize or modified vehicle fees
- Tolls, storage, or other disclosed charges
- Total amount due
The most important question is simple:
“What exactly does the carrier get paid?”
If the company will not show the carrier’s compensation, you cannot evaluate whether the shipment is realistically priced. An artificially low quote may not attract a qualified carrier. The price then rises after booking: or the shipment sits unassigned.
Tank Worldwide shows exactly what the carrier gets paid upfront. You see the platform fee and transportation amount separately.
No bait-and-switch. No surprise re-quote after you commit.
5. Require a real Price Lock Guarantee
“Price lock” means nothing unless the terms explain when the price can change.
Your booking should identify:
- Pickup and delivery locations
- Vehicle year, make, model, and condition
- Running or non-running status
- Open or enclosed service
- Service dates and delivery window
- Total price
- Circumstances that could change the price
Legitimate exceptions may include a vehicle being materially different from the description, a new pickup location, an added service, or a change requested by you.
The contract should not say the company can “adjust the price as needed” without limits.
Tank Worldwide’s Price Lock Guarantee ties the accepted price to the shipment details you provided. If something changes, the system should show what changed and why: not quietly replace the original quote.
Before paying, ask:
“Is this a binding price or an estimate?”
Get the answer in writing.
6. Use escrow to keep payment tied to delivery
Do not release the full shipment payment before the vehicle is delivered and inspected.
A safer process connects payment to checkpoints:
- The shipment is booked.
- The carrier is verified and assigned.
- The vehicle is picked up.
- The vehicle is delivered.
- You inspect the vehicle.
- The condition report is completed.
- Funds are released according to the agreed terms.
Tank Worldwide holds payment in escrow until delivery passes inspection. The carrier is not paid simply because a truck arrived at pickup.
Be cautious with payment requests sent by text or email, especially when the instructions suddenly change. Confirm unexpected requests through the verified company contact.
Avoid sending a large upfront payment by wire transfer, gift card, or an irreversible payment app. If a deposit is required, read the cancellation and refund terms before paying.
7. Verify the VIN and driver at pickup
The correct vehicle must be matched to the correct shipment.
At pickup, confirm:
- The VIN matches your booking
- The year, make, and model are correct
- The driver’s identity is documented
- The truck and trailer details are recorded
- The carrier’s MC and USDOT information match the assigned carrier
- The pickup location is recorded
- The pickup time is timestamped
Tank Worldwide uses VIN or serial-number verification and geofenced driver check-in. The driver must check in from the pickup location, and the system captures a live verification event.
This helps prevent a carrier from being substituted without a record. It also creates an auditable trail if the truck, driver, or shipment details do not match.
If the wrong truck arrives, do not hand over the vehicle until the discrepancy is resolved.
8. Insist on a digital Bill of Lading with photos
The Bill of Lading is not paperwork to rush through. It records the vehicle’s condition, shipment details, and any damage identified at pickup or delivery.
At pickup
Walk around the vehicle with the driver. Record:
- Scratches and dents
- Paint chips
- Cracked glass
- Wheel and tire damage
- Bumper and underbody condition
- Roof condition
- Interior condition
- Odometer reading
- Fuel level
- Existing mechanical or cosmetic issues
Take clear photos of every side, corner, wheel, window, and the interior. Include close-ups of existing damage.
Confirm the VIN on the Bill of Lading. Do not sign until the report is complete. Keep a copy.
At delivery
Inspect the vehicle in good light before signing. Compare it with the pickup photos and condition report.
Check the roof, wheels, bumpers, mirrors, doors, and areas that are easy to overlook. If you find new damage, write it on the delivery Bill of Lading before signing.
Do not sign “received in good condition” when the report does not reflect what you see.
Tank Worldwide creates a digital Bill of Lading with photo condition reports at pickup and delivery. The system compares the records and flags differences for review.
Evidence is stronger than a verbal promise.
9. Track real shipment milestones
A company that cannot tell you where your shipment is may not have reliable control of the move.
You should be able to see when the carrier is:
- Assigned
- Checked in
- En route to pickup
- Picked up
- In transit
- Approaching delivery
- Delivered
Tank Worldwide provides live milestone tracking. Each milestone is timestamped by the driver and connected to shipment records and condition photos.
You do not need to call multiple numbers to find out whether your car was picked up.
10. Ask support about your actual shipment
A chatbot that repeats a generic FAQ is not shipment support.
Ask questions tied to your order:
- Who is my assigned carrier?
- What is the carrier’s current location?
- Has pickup been confirmed?
- What does the latest photo report show?
- When is the next milestone?
- What happens if delivery is delayed?
- When will escrow be released?
Tank Worldwide’s 24/7 AI-powered support knows your actual shipment details. It provides fast answers from the order record and routes issues to human help when judgment or escalation is required.
Run by AI. Answerable to humans.
No spam calls: ever. No lead resale. No canned reply pretending to know where your vehicle is.
The final no-scam checklist
Before you book, confirm every item below:
- I know whether I am working with a broker or carrier.
- I have the company’s MC and USDOT numbers.
- I checked the company in FMCSA SAFER.
- The legal name, phone number, and operating status match.
- I reviewed authority, insurance, or bond information.
- I compared carrier performance metrics: not only star ratings.
- I received an itemized written quote.
- I can see exactly what the carrier gets paid.
- The price is protected by clear Price Lock terms.
- Payment is held in escrow until inspection.
- The VIN and driver will be verified at pickup.
- Pickup will include a digital Bill of Lading and photos.
- Delivery inspection happens before payment release.
- I can track shipment milestones.
- I know how to reach support about my specific order.
If a company pressures you to skip these steps, walk away. The cheapest quote is not a deal if the price changes, the carrier disappears, or you cannot prove the vehicle’s condition.
Use the Tank Worldwide car shipping marketplace to see verified carriers, transparent pricing, performance data, shipment tracking, and protection built into the workflow.
See your price. No phone tag required.
For federal guidance, review the FMCSA Consumer Advisory About Automobile Transporters and report suspected fraud through the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database.