Contact-match check — spot stolen-identity carriers
Paste a DOT or MC number and the phone or email the carrier is contacting you from. KnowHaul compares them against the contacts that carrier actually filed with FMCSA and flags the divergences that show up when someone is impersonating a clean carrier.
How does the contact-match check work? Why does it matter?(expand)
Contact-match check — spot stolen-identity carriers
A rep calls with a rate, quotes you a carrier you know is legitimate, and sends a rate confirmation with a number and email. Before you tender, paste the DOT or MC number and the contact they used into KnowHaul. We compare them against the dispatcher phone and contact email that carrier actually filed with FMCSA. A mismatch is a stolen-identity signal — the scammer is wearing the legitimate carrier's name but using his own unregistered contact to avoid the callback that would blow his cover.
Quick Answer
Paste a DOT or MC number and the phone or email the carrier is using. KnowHaul compares them against the FMCSA-filed contact record for that authority. A match means the contact is authentic. A mismatch means the caller is likely impersonating a clean carrier.
What the contact-match check verifies
The contact-match check compares TWO pieces of data: the phone number or email the carrier is contacting you from, and the phone / email that carrier filed with FMCSA when they applied for their operating authority.
| Field | Where it comes from | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Dispatcher phone | FMCSA MCS-150 form, field 18 | The official phone number on file for the carrier's dispatch |
| Contact email | FMCSA MCS-150 form, email field | The official email on file for the carrier's contact |
| Your input phone/email | What the caller gave you in the rate confirmation | The contact the person claiming to be the carrier is using |
A mismatch means impersonation, not a mistake
Why contact mismatch matters for your bottom line
A stolen-identity or paper-carrier scam uses a legitimate carrier's DOT number and name to appear credible, but handles the tender and pickup with unregistered contact details. The FMCSA-filed number is your one hard fact-check the scammer cannot forge.
Do not tender if contact does not match
How to run a contact-match check
Grab two pieces of information from the rate confirmation: the DOT or MC number the carrier quoted, and the phone or email they used to send it. Paste them into KnowHaul and run the check.
| Step | What to do | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Grab the carrier ID | Copy the DOT or MC number from the rate confirmation or the carrier's quote email | Takes 10 seconds |
| 2. Grab the contact | Copy the phone number or email the carrier used to send the rate | Takes 10 seconds |
| 3. Paste into KnowHaul | Paste both into the contact-match check form and hit 'Check' | Takes <1 second |
| 4. Read the result | A match means authentic. A mismatch means fraud — call the official number to verify. | See result immediately |
Pro Tips
- Run the contact-match check BEFORE you tender, not after. A mismatch is the hard fraud signal that saves a load. Running the check after you tender and discover the contact is fake is too late — you are already liable for the pickup.
- If there is a mismatch, verify the carrier by calling the FMCSA-filed number, not the number on the rate. Do not call the number the suspicious contact gave you to 'verify' — call the number in the public FMCSA record. If the two numbers are different people, you have caught impersonation in progress.
- A match does NOT mean the deal is safe — it only means the contact is authentic. A contact match clears one fraud vector (impersonation). You still need to check the carrier's insurance, authority status, and fraud flags before tendering. Use the double-broker check and insurance check for the rest of the vetting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the contact-match check verify?
It compares the phone number or email a carrier is contacting you from against the contacts that carrier filed with FMCSA when they applied for operating authority. A match means the contact is authentic. A mismatch means the caller is likely impersonating a legitimate carrier.
Why does carrier contact mismatch matter?
Identity-flip scammers impersonate a clean carrier but use unregistered contact details to avoid callbacks that would expose them. The FMCSA-filed contact number is the one hard fact-check the scammer cannot forge. A mismatch is a stolen-identity signal that should trigger an immediate callback to the official number in the FMCSA record.
What if the carrier's contact doesn't match the filed record?
Do not tender the load. Call the carrier directly using the phone number in the public FMCSA record (not the number the caller gave you) and ask if they just quoted your lane. A real carrier will confirm or deny in seconds. A scammer will have no answer.
Can a carrier legitimately have a different contact than what FMCSA has on file?
Only briefly. When a carrier updates their contact details, they file a new MCS-150 form. FMCSA processes updates within days. If a carrier's phone or email is different from what they filed, they would have updated their FMCSA record already. A mismatch after a reasonable window is a fraud signal, not a data lag.
Is the contact-match check free?
Yes. The contact-match tool is free for all users without sign-in. No subscription or login required — just paste the DOT/MC and contact and hit Check.
What should I do if contact-match shows a match?
A contact match clears the impersonation vector — the contact is authentic. But a match does NOT mean the carrier is safe overall. Continue your vetting with the double-broker check (for fraud signals), the insurance check (for lapsed coverage), and the truck check (for VIN/MC/COI mismatches).
Verify your next carrier's contact
Paste a DOT or MC and the phone or email they used. Get a match or mismatch verdict in under a second.