A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Our Security Protocols and Why They Matter in the Auto Transport Industry
The auto transport industry requires trust, documentation, and clear communication at every step. Customers trust us with their vehicles—often worth tens of thousands of dollars—and carriers rely on us to ensure they are paid accurately and on time. Because of this, payment security is not optional. It is absolutely critical.
Recently, Bigfella Auto Express encountered a situation involving an attempted misuse of our payment system. This incident highlights why we maintain strict policies, why verification procedures exist, and how we protect both our clients and carrier partners from fraud.
This blog is here to educate shippers, dealerships, and carriers on how we prevent issues before they become real problems.
During a routine transport, a customer submitted a signed credit card authorization form, confirming the cardholder name, billing address, and card number. Our team reviewed and approved the documentation.
However, the customer then attempted to pay with a completely different credit card ending in 8718—one that did not match the signed authorization form of card ending in 3518.
This is a red flag in any industry, especially in logistics, where chargebacks, stolen card usage, and identity fraud are common risks.
Using a different card than the one authorized is considered:
A violation of our payment terms
A security risk to our company and carriers
A potential act of credit card fraud
Because of these inconsistencies, we followed our established fraud prevention procedures.
We handled the issue exactly as our policies and industry best practices require:
The payment attempt did not match the authorization form, so it was immediately voided for security reasons.
This is standard protocol when a credit card verification fails. COD protects:
The carrier
The broker (us)
The customer’s vehicle from being delayed or held
COD ensures the transport continues without risk of a disputed or fraudulent card payment.
Internal documentation is required for all security-related incidents so we have accurate records for the carrier, the client, and our insurance partners.
When a payment attempt contains misleading or fraudulent elements, we are obligated to file a report. This is for compliance and to protect our business and carriers from financial harm.
The customer’s vehicle remained in active delivery status, because our priority is always completing the transport safely and professionally.
Auto transport brokers nationwide experience thousands of dollars in lost payments each year due to:
Chargebacks
Stolen card usage
False disputes
Unauthorized card use
Fraud not only hurts the company—it harms carriers, who often drive 1,000–2,000 miles before discovering that the customer reversed the payment.
Our strict payment verification process exists to prevent exactly this.
Bigfella Auto Express will always:
Verify identity before accepting credit card payments
Require matching authorization forms and payment methods
Transition to COD when inconsistencies appear
Protect carriers from unpaid or fraudulent transactions
Continue delivery without unnecessary delay
These policies protect both the honest customer and the professional drivers who work hard to transport vehicles safely across the country.
This recent incident serves as a reminder that the auto shipping industry requires strong security systems. Bigfella Auto Express remains committed to:
Secure payments
Clear communication
Protecting our carriers
Protecting our legitimate customers
Maintaining industry-leading compliance
Our goal is always to deliver vehicles safely, professionally, and without complications—and strong fraud prevention is a key part of that mission.
Trust a company that takes integrity and payment security seriously.
Bigfella Auto Express
support@bigfellaautoexpress.com
www.bigfellaautoexpress.com