Holiday cargo thefts surge 65% as organized criminals use cyber tools to hijack

A new wave of organized crime maneuvers is targeting Americans’ holiday shopping purchases and wallets.

Leveraging malware systems and other cybercrime tools, hackers are infiltrating online shipping markets to seize high-value cargo while the products are in transit.

“I guess the criminals have determined that the weak point between point A and point B is transportation, right?” “So instead of putting yourself in harm’s way by going to a warehouse or distribution center, why not just take it down the road?” Michael Evanoff, chief security officer and strategic advisor at AI security company Verkada, told Fox News Digital.

Since 2020, both shipping companies and law enforcement have seen an alarming increase in criminal groups using remote, online methods to hijack cargo deliveries and make off with valuable loot.

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“When [the COVID-19 pandemic] “Then a year later, we saw a huge increase,” Keith Lewis, Verisk CargoNet vice president of operations, told Fox News Digital. [cases] “We went down again and thought we were somehow back to normal.”

“Then it’s like the bad guys took a year off, went to school, came back and reinvented themselves with the tools and techniques they learned from Covid. [started] Using the internet to commit fraudulent acts as opposed to straight-up traditional thefts like stealing a truck at a truck stop or rest area – and that’s when fraud started to explode.”

There has been an increase in cargo thefts across the country this year, with more than $318 million lost due to stolen goods. according to data Published by Verisk CargoNet. Additionally, the data shows that the average value of stolen shipments increased to $278,797.

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According to data released by Verisk CargoNet, more than $318 million in losses due to stolen goods have been recorded by companies in the United States since the beginning of 2025. (iStock)

Thanks to modern internet tools and artificial intelligence, the process of stealing goods has been simplified for thieves. To determine which vehicles they want to target, cybercriminals often turn to online loading boards, an online marketplace where companies and truck drivers can share details about upcoming shipments.

“You can find a load, or a driver and company can find a load to move their equipment,” Lewis said. “This is where the biggest problem comes in. We don’t know who we are talking to on the other end of the phone (I don’t even mean the phone line) but on the other end of the computer network.”

From there, criminals will create an online account and impersonate a truck driver or company to obtain more information about a shipment. Additionally, companies are now using AI to scan cargo and drivers, ultimately making it even easier for hackers to trick the software into thinking they are a legitimate individual in the supply chain.

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Criminal groups will use online load boards to map out the routes of vehicles carrying cargo they hope to steal, ultimately catching drivers with forged documents and taking the goods overseas. (iStock)

“The review process is almost over,” Lewis told Fox News Digital. “So who do you think inspects this truck, makes sure it’s the right truck or has the right driver? Nobody does.”

Once criminals identify the contents and location of a particular cargo truck, they will hijack the unmarked vehicle using false identification to trick the driver into delivering the items.

“This doesn’t work without the human and cyber dimension,” Evanoff told Fox News Digital. “You basically come across a truck with no markings on it. So [criminals] It will cyber log in and then back it up by having someone in the truck to pick up the load at the intended designated location online.”

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Since 2020, both shipping companies and law enforcement have seen an alarming increase in criminal groups using remote, online methods to hijack cargo deliveries. (iStock)

The holiday season also presents a prime opportunity for thieves to target larger-than-usual cargo shipments.

During the 2024 Thanksgiving period, there were 79 recorded cases of cargo theft in the United States; This represents a 65% increase over the previous year and represents a loss of approximately $9.5 million. according to data Published by Verisk CargoNet.

Data shows that consumables are the most targeted goods by thieves, followed by household goods and electronic devices.

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Additionally, data from Verisk CargoNet reveals that the New York City metropolitan area has become a hotbed of criminal groups seeking to misdirect shipments during transportation, and states such as California, Florida, and Texas also serve as catalysts for cargo thefts.

Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation (DOT) sent a notification Asking stakeholders to share comments about how the federal government could develop better strategies to reduce cargo thefts signals that the issue has captured the attention of top law enforcement officials.

The DOT added that cargo theft of all types “results in significant economic losses, disrupts supply chains, and in some cases funds broader illicit activities such as narcotics trafficking, counterfeiting, and human smuggling.”

The national security aspect of cybercriminals targeting cargo shipments is echoed by Lewis, who explains that criminal gangs will often ship stolen items out of the country or sell the goods to Americans who believe they are making a legitimate purchase.

“We tracked these groups in over 40 countries,” Lewis told Fox News Digital.

Lewis added that the items become virtually untraceable to law enforcement when taken abroad or sold to consumers.

“The bad guys have set up a supply chain overseas that is somewhat legitimate,” Lewis said. “When they meet [ocean] With these goods they are no longer stolen. No follow up. “They can carry them freely and without hesitation to anywhere in their country and the world.”

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For now, research companies focus primarily on spying on criminal groups’ networks and identifying their habits, which means very few arrests have been made. But experts warn that while well-intentioned individuals have access to technology to track down thieves, criminals also have access to it.

“The supply chain is moving at the speed of light,” Lewis said. “But so is the bad guy’s supply chain.”