“What we've seen is people are basically watching distribution centers and drop yards. If they see a trailer sitting for three or four days, they will go and advertise that trailer for rent. And they're all over Facebook Marketplace with this. One of the biggest issues there is they're demanding payment via Zelle. … So if you see that, it is not a Premier trailer. It is somebody that has unlawfully obtained access to one of our trailers and is frankly using AI, creating very sophisticated looking invoices and putting that trailer out for rent.”
sputnikintelligence.com
Asked about the freight fraud his trailer-leasing company had publicly warned about, Barth describes how scammers spot idle trailers, list them for rent online with AI-generated invoices, and take payment through peer-to-peer apps.
…This year, you know, we're buying all we can in the fourth quarter to meet customer demand. So I think that's fueling some of what you referenced from the Wabash press. And right now, we're placing orders well into next year, trying to get ahead of what we think is going to be a very strong 2027.
…and stated, you know, to make just warning people that the scam was going on, what are you seeing fraud as it relates to talk about trailers being stolen, but what is the stuff that you're sort of cautioning everybody that is thinking about trailer rentals to sort of take, you know, take serious?
Yeah, what we've seen is people are basically watching distribution centers and drop yards. If they see a trailer sitting for three or four days, they will go and advertise that trailer for rent. And they're, you know, all over Facebook marketplace with this. One of the biggest issues there is they're demanding payment via Zell. So again, we really tries to raise that issue with our customers. We do not take payment via Zelle. We do not take payment via Venmo. So if you see that, it is not a Premier trailer. It is somebody that is unlawfully obtained access to one of our trailers and is frankly using AI, creating very sophisticated looking invoices and putting that trailer out for rent.
So Craig Barth can someone do if they want to make sure that they're talking to someone at Premier in terms of ensuring that they are actually talking to someone who is one of your folks? What are the steps that they should take to ensure that they are quote unquote pay for?
Yeah, we have today 42 locations across the United States. They can obviously contact the nearest branch location. All the information is on our website as well. We have our 800 number. That's available for them to call. Again, if it seems too good to be true, you know, if the person offering the…
I mean, it's what people predicted 20 years ago, like don't buy on the internet. Remember that? And then like Facebook Marketplace. Do you remember when, like, you maybe I suspect, Craig, you remember, you know, growing up when you, when the internet first came about, it's like, don't buy stuff off…