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Scam alerts for new carriers

Your new USDOT number is public, so the scammers find you fast. Here's what to watch for.

The golden rule: FMCSA has said it doesn't ask for Social Security numbers, bank details, UCR payments or PIN numbers through unsolicited emails or calls. But don't trust an email just because it looks official. The sender's name and even the sender's address shown in an email can be faked. Never act from a link in the email. Instead, type the official address into your browser yourself (for example motus.dot.gov or fmcsa.dot.gov), or call FMCSA on 1-800-832-5660. Use the number from this page or the official site, never one from the email.

How to check any "FMCSA" or "DOT" message in 3 steps

  1. Don't click. Treat the link, attachment and phone number in the message as untrusted, even if the logo, signature and sender address look right.
  2. Check the real web address. If you do land on a page, read the address bar. The site name right before the first single "/" must end in .gov, e.g. motus.dot.gov. A look-alike such as dot.motusdatadesk.com is not government. Its real name is "motusdatadesk.com", whatever comes before it.
  3. Go there yourself. Type the official address yourself, log in there, and see whether the "urgent" item really exists. Or call FMCSA on the number above.

How to read a web address in 5 seconds

The real site name is the part just before the first single "/". It must end in .gov.

https://motus.dot.gov/login https://dot.motusdatadesk.com/login ✓ REALends in .gov ✗ FAKEends in .com site namesite name
Example from the fake Motus sites FMCSA warned about in September 2026 (source below). The words "motus" or "dot" anywhere else in the address mean nothing.

1. Fake "Motus" registration sites (September 2026)

FMCSA moved USDOT registration to its new Motus system in May 2026. Scammers then set up look-alike sites and sent emails telling carriers to make urgent "off-cycle profile updates". The fake addresses reported:

The real one is motus.dot.gov. Source: FreightWaves, Sept 15, 2026.

2. Fake FMCSA / USDOT emails (February 2026 alert)

FMCSA warned of an "aggressive" phishing wave on February 2, 2026. The emails use official-looking logos, signatures and documents to get you to share information or pay. Don't rely on how the email looks. Open the official site yourself instead of clicking. Source: J. J. Keller coverage of the FMCSA alert.

3. Other common ones

How to tell we're not one of them

We're a private guide, not a government agency, and we'll never pretend otherwise. We will never ask for your FMCSA PIN, logins, SSN or bank details. Every email we send says who we are (Carrier Pay Guide, Podske LLC), includes a valid postal address, and has a one-click unsubscribe.

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