For shipper best practices, access our shipper security guide here. 

Together, we can make the logistics industry safer 

With fraud on the rise in our industry, protecting your cargo and your business has never been more important. But everyone has a role to play – while we’ve taken major steps to secure our marketplace, it’s important that you also take steps to protect yourself. 

Be sure to read our best practices for securing your account and every step of your transaction from dispatch to delivery, so you can use Central Dispatch with maximum confidence and security.

Secure Your Account  

Sharing your sign-in details with others, even people who work for you, can expose you to fraud and unauthorized access. So, we highly recommend setting up User Management as soon as you open your account with us. 

This gives contractors, employees, or people outside your organization their own Central Dispatch login credentials, and minimizes the risks of identity theft when sharing your own account credentials. You can also set guardrails on what business information they can view, helping you avoid potential account security risks. 

Plus, with reinforced multi-factor authentication, every Central Dispatch account has an extra layer of protection from unauthorized access. Your phone number is the preferred verification method, and the most secure. 

Be sure to be cautious about who you add as a user, and always vet any third party companies or contractors before giving them an account under User Management. Account owners and admins should regularly review the user activity history to monitor for unexpected changes.

While Central Dispatch is here to support you with best practices to keep your account secure, you are responsible for any conduct that occurs on your account.

• Learn more about setting up User Management 
• See how you can secure your account with the User Management security video

Protect Your FMCSA Details 

Many cases of fraud start when bad actors steal FMCSA details and pose as legitimate carriers. It’s critical to keep yours secure by using strong passwords and never sharing your log-in info for any platform. 

Additionally, you should make sure that your USDOT# and authorization status is up-to-date on Central Dispatch, so shippers can easily verify you and feel confident partnering with you. You can also upload insurance documentation to further stand out as a vetted, trusted carrier.

• Learn more about our FMCSA checklist 

Know How To Identify Common Scams 

One common sign of a fraudulent load is an unusually high listing price. Scammers will lure carriers with high-ball offers in order to carry out a double-brokering scheme, or simply to lower the price once a carrier accepts a load. So, if an offer appears too good to be true, it probably is. Use our Price Check tool to better understand typical market rates and help you assess whether a load offer seems legitimate.  

Another clear sign of double-brokering is seeing a different carrier’s name on a Bill of Lading. Make sure to always request documentation ahead of time, so you and your drivers can check through and look for any inconsistencies, and avoid being caught in double brokering.  

Be extremely cautious of anyone requesting to change a vehicle’s pick-up location. Scammers will often pose as shippers and offer drivers extra money to reroute vehicles to a new location where they are waiting to steal it. It’s critical to verify that any text, call, email or any type of communication is from the assigned shipper before following any new delivery instructions. Often, it’s best to simply ignore any calls like this, and ask that shippers only give you new instructions within the Central Dispatch platform. 

• See how you can verify and review shippers with the Transactional Ratings security video

Secure Communications During Transit

Dispatching and communicating through private phone calls, emails, and texts exposes you to fraud, so it’s best to keep as much communication as possible within our platform.  

We highly recommend never accepting a dispatch sheet via email. Encourage shippers to dispatch vehicles to you using our fully electronic dispatch system: this greatly reduces the risk of falling victim to fake texts and phone calls, and allows shippers to more easily keep tabs on shipments. You should also assign a driver to each load, so your pickup location can verify the identity of the individual picking up the vehicle. 

Additionally, if a shipper requests to change any delivery instructions, it’s important to update the dispatch sheet in Central Dispatch to match those new instructions. 

• Learn more about our dispatch experience 
• See how you can secure communications with this security video 

We also highly recommend you and your drivers use the Central Dispatch carrier mobile app. This not only allows you to send vehicle location updates directly to shipping partners, but it also enables load tracking – helping you provide greater peace of mind to shippers, build trust, and strengthen your reputation in the marketplace.  

• Learn more about the carrier app 
• Learn more about Real-Time Tracking
• See how you can use the Central Dispatch carrier app to provide more transparency to shippers in this security video

Review After Dropoff 

After the delivery is complete, always rate and review your carrier partner honestly. It’s a great way for the Central Dispatch community to help each other avoid bad actors, reward honest carriers who do good work, and create a more transparent marketplace for everyone. You can also choose to publish your review later at a later date, you can more confidently and honestly rate your partners​​​​​​​​. 

In the Event of Fraud

If you do fall victim to fraud, it’s critical to immediately contact the authorities and file a police report in the jurisdiction of the incident. Provide any information you can to local law enforcement, report the incident to the USDOT’s Inspector General, file a complaint with the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database, or contract the Federal Trade Commission.  

• Contact the Federal Trade Commission: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov  

We also encourage you to report the incident to our new Marketplace Integrity Team. These are dedicated transportation experts who are here to take serious action when necessary, and permanently remove known bad actors from our platform. 

• Contact the Marketplace Integrity Team: CentralDispatchFraudClaims@coxautoinc.com

Steps We’re Taking To Help You Transport Cars Safely

Central Dispatch is making significant strides in addressing this challenge in our industry, and addressing this challenge in our industry so that vehicles can be transported safely and securely. 

We are constantly evolving our vetting process alongside the changing market landscape to ensure only legitimate companies gain access to our marketplace, and carriers can more confidently find legitimate loads. 

We’ve also formed the Marketplace Integrity Team that is dedicated to combating fraud and helping you stay secure. This team collaborates directly with Cox Security and other enterprise teams to investigate issues, deactivate fraudulent accounts, and proactively protect our customers.  

• See how the Marketplace Integrity Team is supporting our customers in this security video.

We’re partnering with other industry leaders to lobby Congress, advocating for stronger protections against automotive fraud and encouraging action and accountability from the FMCSA.

We all play a part in building a safer, more secure marketplace for shipping vehicles. Let’s keep working together to protect our industry from fraud and ensure Central Dispatch remains a trusted platform for everyone.

See how we can help shippers find reputable carrier partners with FMCSA details, insurance information, and Transactional Ratings.

See how we help you protect your account data and sensitive business information from unauthorized logins.

Welcome to Central Dispatch! Learn how to search for loads, get dispatches, and manage your shipments with our platform.

We are excited to share a recent Auto Remarketing Podcast featuring our very own, Lainey Sibble, Head of Business for Central Dispatch, and Eric Schwartz, Head of Product. In this special episode, they dive into the pressing issue of fraud in the vehicle transportation industry, the role we all play in combatting it, and how Central Dispatch is uniquely positioned to lead the way in developing the technology, operational controls and practical tools to help combat fraud.

With cargo fraud experiencing a 1,500% increase since 2022, it remains one of the most critical issues within the logistics industry due to the high value of goods and vehicles in transport as well as the multiple players and touchpoints involved in the end-to-end process. Lainey and Eric discuss how Central Dispatch, as part of Cox Automotive, plays a vital role in addressing these challenges head on. As well as the important role we ALL play to help curb fraud in our industry.

They explore trends in fraud, including increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by bad actors and the role identity theft plays as a major root cause. And discuss the technological advancements, operational enhancements, practical tools and educational resources that help shippers and carriers stay vigilant and be better safeguarded against fraudulent activity at every step – from log-in through delivery.

For anyone interested in learning more about how to be better protected from fraud, this podcast offers valuable information, directly from industry leaders at the nation’s largest self-managed auto transportation marketplace, Central Dispatch.

You can now choose when your review is published. Selecting this option means your review will be publicly posted only after your partner has also submitted their rating or after the 14-day review window passes. This enhancement helps to create more transparent partnerships and ensures you can share your feedback honestly, fostering trust in the marketplace.  

Want to learn more? Visit our Transactional Rating features page to explore all the details or check our out Tips for Rating article for helpful guidance on making the most of this feature. 

Transactional ratings and reviews are a vital part of the Central Dispatch platform. They help everyone make better partnering decisions, reward top-performing businesses, and serve as a place to disclose issues that come up during a job. It’s important that you fully understand our ratings system, so you can leave reviews that are clear, fair, and accurate.

Because leaving more accurate ratings doesn’t just help others —  it helps you grow your business network and transact with new partners confidently!

About each rating category

• Overall: When evaluating your overall experience working with a partner, consider if you would do business with them again. Keep in mind the entire experience of the job, not just the outcome.
• Timeliness: Timeliness refers to meeting the contracted timing for pickup, delivery, and any other agreed checkpoints. If it was late, were there external delays that held up the shipment? Was it local or long-distance? How late was it?
• Communication: This rating measures how easy it was to get in touch with a partner, and how clear they made their instructions or expectations. Were they easy to work with? Were they quick to respond to questions? Were they professional?
• Documentation: Use the documentation rating to evaluate their handling of important paperwork like gate releases and invoicing. Were all documents made easily available? Was the paperwork ever sent late? Was it filled out completely and correctly?

The importance of leaving a written review

While rating across the different categories is important, it sometimes doesn’t tell the full story. Use the “Additional Comments” section to get into more details about working with a partner, and explain why you gave the ratings you did. 

This is the place to call out specific things you liked about working with a particular partner, which is extremely helpful for other businesses who might have similar needs or preferences as your own. 

So don’t be afraid to get detailed! And if you need to call out things that caused problems on a job, keep your tone and language constructive. All comments are reviewed to make sure our content guidelines are being followed.

Resolving disputes privately

Once posted, Central Dispatch ratings and reviews cannot be changed. So before leaving a negative rating or review, you’ll be prompted to reach out to the other party and resolve any disputes directly with them. Be sure to take advantage of this feature if you think any problems or misunderstandings can be solved privately.

NEW: Control when your review is published, and rate with confidence!

You can now choose when your review is published, giving you the confidence to share your experience. Selecting “Publish Later” means your review will only be publicly posted after your partner has also submitted their rating, or the 14-day review window passes, making it easier to provide honest feedback, and helping foster more transparent partnerships.

What if my review was rejected?

If your review is ever rejected, you can always resubmit within 45 days of the job’s completion. Just visit the “Rejected Ratings” tab on your business profile page to see exactly why your rating was rejected. You’ll also receive an email notification with a full list of our content guidelines and can access them when writing a comment.

Rating canceled transactions

If someone you’ve partnered with cancels a job for any reason, you can still give them one overall rating and write a review. Please note any specific issues related to the cancellation, and partner with more confidence, knowing you’ll be able to hold everyone accountable for every transaction on Central Dispatch.

For a step-by-step video guide on Transactional Ratings, click here!

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At Central Dispatch, our biggest priority is your security. We’re continually working to ensure that our marketplace is the safest place to find loads online, and part of that is making sure carriers know how to keep their account secure and partner with shippers safely. 

As we continuously update our security features, ensure only shippers can post loads, and suspend users who do not abide by our terms, there are some easy steps you can take to conduct business on the Central Dispatch marketplace in complete confidence. 

Best practices for carriers:

Best practices for carriers: 

• Sharing your Central Dispatch log in information can lead to unauthorized access and security breaches. Eliminate risk and secure your account with the User Management system, which gives each person in your organization their own username and password. Select the right user type to control access to sensitive data.
• Make sure your current email address and phone number are both linked to your owner account, so you can use our multi-factor login process. It’s the best way to protect against unverified logins. Your phone number is the preferred verification method.
• To protect your security, all user accounts designated as Owners are locked and cannot be deleted or edited by any other user, including other Owners. Business owners can contact Client Care to make edits to Owner accounts.
• To ensure a safer, more secure platform, we make your FMCSA information visible on your company profile. Be sure to confirm that all your details are correct and up to date, so you can stand out as a verified carrier and strengthen your reputation.
• Always use the Price Check tool to ensure you’re getting a fair market rate.
• Always check the shipper’s Transactional Ratings to gauge how the company has performed on prior jobs and interacted with other carriers.
• Always complete the dispatch process on the Central Dispatch platform. Transactions made over the phone or otherwise outside our platform create more uncertainty, and higher potential for conflicts between the two parties.
• Keep communications with shippers within the Central Dispatch platform whenever possible to avoid conflicts and security risks.
• The auto-transport industry is facing an increase in fraud involving phone calls, emails, and texts. Always be cautious of outreach asking you for account or personal information or requesting that you access unknown links or files. Contact us to report any suspicious activity.
• Always verify that any text, call, or email communication sent to you is from the assigned shipper before following any new delivery instructions.
• Download the Central Dispatch carriers mobile app and have your drivers enable Real-Time Tracking to foster more transparency with shipping partners, and stand out as a trusted carrier.
• At the end of each job, be sure to rate and review your shipper. It’s the easiest way for carriers to identify bad actors, and help other users avoid problems. Now, you can choose when your review is published – ensuring you provide honest feedback and contribute to a more transparent marketplace.

We welcome feedback from our users. Please reach out to us with any concerns or suggestions, so we can work to continually roll out new security features and policies that help make the Central Dispatch marketplace a safe place to operate for everyone. 

Shippers and carriers are responsible for determining what partners they want to do business with and validating any credentials. Central Dispatch is not a party to any agreements. 

Pricing data is for illustration purposes only and does not reflect actual prices

The billing page has been updated with a reorganized layout to prioritize the most important information and provide an intuitive user-friendly experience. multi-factor verification provides an extra layer of security to the account and is required to make any changes to the page. Users with the role of Owner or Admin in Manage Users have permission to make changes after the multi-factor authentication. The billing page is available from the account name dropdown, by selecting Billing.

Billing Status

1. Link available to Print last statement.
2. Click on the History tab to view and print previous months’ statements.
3. View Balance due and due date.
4. Make a payment by clicking on Make a one-time payment.
   • Choose to pay balance or another amount.
   • Choose payment method.
   • Users can also click toggle when making a payment to enroll in autopay.
5. Previous payment information including payment amount, date and payment method.
6. Toggle to Enable Automatic Payments on or off.

Result: a confirmation message will appear for users to confirm automatic payments.

Your Subscription

View your subscription plan and any add-ons

1. Click on Manage subscription to view current subscription and select or change add-ons such as Notifications for search and Price Check Plus.
   • View current subscription.
   • Click on any add-on to select it.
   • Review changes and click Update subscription.
   • Note: Changing Notifications tiers:
     • If Adding Notifications, user will need to verify the contact email and phone for the notifications.
     • If Removing Notifications, the change will take place on the next billing cycle.
2. If signed-up for Notifications for search the MANAGE EMAIL AND PHONE link will be visible to update email and phone to send notifications.
   • Result: Communications tab on the Company Profile page will open to update or add email and phone for notifications.

Edit Billing Information

1. Click on Edit Information to update billing contact information.
2. Result: The Company Profile page will open to the Contacts section and Billing Contact.
   • Click on Edit Information to update Billing Contact, MFA authentication will be required.

Payment Methods and Billing Contact Information

1. Manage payment methods including setting a default card, adding or removing a card.
2. Click on Edit Information to update billing contact information.
3. Result: The Company Profile page will open to the Contacts section and Billing Contact.

Upcoming Charges and Recent Transactions

1. View upcoming charges.
2. View the most recent five transactions, users can view additional transactions under the History tab on the Billing page.

Billing History Tab

1. View previous transactions, select the number of transactions per page.
2. Click View Statement to view statements for previous months.