Fuel fraud has long been a thorn in the side of truck drivers and fleet operators, but in recent years, it has evolved into an even more dangerous threat. Over the past year, fuel card skimming, AI-powered phishing scams, and account takeovers have drained fleet accounts and cost trucking companies millions.
The trucking industry, however, isn’t taking this lying down. Instead, fleets are stepping up their defenses, using technology, education, and plain old trucking street smarts to put these fraudsters out of business for good.
If scammers thought truckers were easy targets, they picked the wrong industry to mess with.
How Fuel Card Skimming Works (And Why It’s a Huge Problem)
Fuel fraud isn’t some small-time scam—it’s a massive criminal operation that has surged in recent years. According to RTS Financial, fuel fraud incidents have increased by more than 70% over the past year. That’s millions of dollars being stolen right from under truckers’ noses.
The most common method? Fuel card skimming.
Scammers install fake card readers on fuel pumps that look completely normal. When a trucker swipes their fuel card, the skimming device secretly captures their card details, PIN, and security codes. Within minutes, the criminals clone the card, and before the driver even reaches their next stop, their fleet account is already being drained.
These criminals don’t waste any time. Once they obtain card details, they immediately start racking up fraudulent charges, buying thousands of dollars’ worth of fuel and reselling it on the black market. Some even use stolen fuel cards to fill up trucks transporting illegal goods, making this scam a double threat to the industry.
“Card skimming is the predominant form of fuel fraud,” says Erika Voss, VP of Information Security at DAT Freight & Analytics. “It remains one of the biggest threats to truckers today.”
But truckers have had enough. And now, they’re taking back control.
The Shift Toward Cardless Payments—And Why It’s Working
One of the biggest weapons in the fight against fuel fraud? Cardless payments.
By eliminating the need for physical fuel cards, truckers can effectively block scammers from skimming their card information. No card, no problem.
“The trucking industry has diligently intensified efforts to combat card skimming,” says Spencer Barkoff, president of Relay Payments. “A lot of fleets are transitioning from traditional fuel cards to cardless digital payment systems.”
Results from this shift have been encouraging. Since fleets started adopting digital fuel payment platforms, skimming incidents have plummeted. Criminals no longer have a physical target to steal from, cutting off one of their primary attack methods.
Beyond just payments, many trucking companies are integrating fuel management systems that provide real-time tracking of every transaction. With this technology, fleet managers can identify fraudulent charges instantly and shut down compromised accounts before scammers can do serious damage.
It’s a massive shift in the way trucking companies handle fuel payments—and it’s putting scammers out of business fast.
Even with digital security improving, fuel skimming remains a persistent issue.
Truck Stops: The Danger Zones for Fuel Fraud
Fuel skimming happens most often at remote, unattended fuel stations. These low-traffic stops are prime hunting grounds for scammers looking to install skimming devices without getting caught.
Voss, from DAT Freight & Analytics, advises truckers to always choose well-lit, high-traffic fueling locations when possible.
“Scammers work in the shadows—literally,” she says. “Point-of-sale machines in busy, well-lit, reputable places are less likely to be tampered with than a reader at an unattended, middle-of-nowhere fuel stop.”
Truckers are also encouraged to inspect the fuel pump before inserting their card. A loose, wobbly, or oversized card reader could be a sign that a skimming device has been installed.
Another simple but effective move? Covering the keypad when entering a PIN.
Some scammers install tiny hidden cameras above fuel pumps to record PIN entries. A quick hand cover blocks their view and keeps your credentials safe.
While awareness is growing, fraudsters aren’t giving up. As truckers become more cautious, criminals are shifting toward even more sophisticated scams.
The Next Big Threat: AI-Powered Fuel Fraud
Fuel skimming is becoming less effective, so criminals have turned to Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven fraud.
Instead of stealing your fuel card, scammers are now tricking truckers and fleet employees into handing over their login credentials and multi-factor authentication (MFA) codes.
And they’re scarily good at it.
“Malicious actors are tricking people into giving them credentials—to give them their multi-factor codes,” says William Fitzgerald, VP of Global Anti-Financial Crimes at WEX. “That is by far the highest velocity fraud right now.”
Scammers are using AI to impersonate company executives, dispatchers, and fleet managers. They send emails, texts, and even phone calls that look and sound completely legitimate.
Some AI-powered scams even mimic voices, making fake phone calls sound like they’re coming from your actual boss.
How to Fight Back Against AI Fraud
AI scams rely on human error. That’s why the best defense is education.
Fitzgerald stresses the importance of companies training employees to recognize fraud attempts and empowering them to say “NO” when something seems off.
“Never give out your password, never click on a suspicious link, and never respond to a random text message,” he says. “And most importantly, employees need to feel empowered to question authority if something doesn’t seem right.”
AI scams succeed because truckers or employees panic and comply too quickly. The key is slowing down and verifying.
If an email, text, or call feels urgent, take a step back and call your boss directly. It’s better to double-check than to lose thousands to a scam.
Truckers Are Winning the Fight
Despite the rise in fraud, truckers are proving they’re smarter than the scammers.
With cardless payments, real-time fraud tracking, and better education, fuel fraud is becoming harder to pull off.
Scammers are losing their grip, and with continued vigilance, the trucking industry is on track to take fuel fraud down for good.
As long as truckers continue to adopt digital payments, practice smart security habits, and stay alert to evolving scams, the road ahead looks a whole lot safer.
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Sources:
The Trucker: How Carriers & Drivers Can Guard Against Fuel Card Skimmers
RTS Financial: How to Avoid Fuel Card Fraud