trucking

Congress Advances Bill to Combat Fraudulent DOT Correspondence

Bipartisan legislation introduced in the House last week seeks to crack down on scammers who deceive truckers into paying for federal services available at no cost. The Stop Scamming Truckers Act, sponsored by Representatives Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and Dave Taylor of Ohio, targets misleading letters that fraudulently impersonate federal agencies. Scammers frequently dispatch documents mimicking official government correspondence to extract payments for routine renewals and registrations. The measure would require third-party companies transmitting USDOT-related correspondence to display a prominent 12-point font disclosure stating the letter originates from a private entity, not the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or Department of Transportation. The disclosure must appear on the first page without requiring scrolling for digital communications. The legislation also prohibits companies from adopting names, seals, logos, or insignias suggesting DOT affiliation. Additionally, the bill creates a private right of action, allowing recipients to pursue legal recourse for noncompliant communications.