Echo Global Logistics Deploys AI, Human Oversight to Combat Rising Freight Fraud

Echo Global Logistics is intensifying its fight against sophisticated freight fraud using a three-pronged strategy of technology, human validation, and industry collaboration, according to Jeff Starr, SVP of Marketplace Solutions. At FreightWaves’ 2025 F3 Festival, Starr warned that fraud has evolved from double-brokering schemes to high-value scams targeting shipments worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, often using AI-generated fake documents and compromised email accounts. Echo employs AI to detect anomalous shipment routes and enforces multifactor authentication, but Starr stressed that human verification remains critical—even for online bookings, carrier reps contact trusted dispatchers to confirm legitimacy. The company also advises shippers to implement strict warehouse controls, such as unique pickup numbers, and heightens physical security in high-risk zones like Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago. Echo shares threat intelligence with carriers and promotes transparency across the logistics chain, framing fraud prevention as a shared industry responsibility.