Inti Pacheco of The Wall Street Journal reports that thieves intercepted a refrigerated container bound for Florida and demanded a $40,000 ransom—part of a surge in fraud that has frustrated freight haulers. He writes:
Rob Hoffman got disturbing emails and calls last year that threatened his entire business.
Swindlers had taken control of one freight load—No. 51890—and told him that other cargoes his firm handled would be stolen unless he paid them $40,000. […]
Hoffman said he hasn’t heard from the FMCSA after filing a complaint about a year ago. The FMCSA spokeswoman didn’t respond to questions about Hoffman’s complaint.
After seeking help from several law-enforcement agencies, Hoffman said he has felt like he was left on an island to sort things out. “If I can’t come to you when a crime is happening, what am I supposed to do?” he said.
Read more here.
