Cargo theft and freight fraud are climbing sharply across global supply chains, prompting a joint warning from the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) and the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA).

The two organisations said incidents are rising across Europe, the Americas and Africa, with Latin America and parts of Africa seeing particularly violent attacks. At the same time, criminals are increasingly shifting from traditional hijackings to more sophisticated, digitally enabled fraud.

Data from TAPA’s intelligence system shows nearly 160,000 cargo-related crimes were recorded across 129 countries between 2022 and 2024, with total losses running into the billions of euros.

While theft from trucks and warehouses remains widespread, IUMI and TAPA warn that “fake carrier” and so-called phantom freight schemes are becoming a major threat. These involve criminals posing as legitimate transport companies, often using stolen identities, cloned firms and forged documents to secure freight before disappearing with the cargo.

Thorsten Neumann, president and chief executive of TAPA EMEA, said cargo crime is moving rapidly into the digital space.

“We are seeing criminals use forged emails, look-alike domains, fake insurance certificates and stolen credentials to make fraudulent operations look legitimate,” Neumann said. “Our concern is that AI will accelerate these tactics, making deception easier to scale and pushing losses even higher.”

Recent figures underline the scale of the problem. Cargo theft losses in North America reached about $455m in 2024, while TAPA EMEA recorded more than 108,000 supply-chain thefts across Europe, the Middle East and Africa over the past two years. In Germany alone, insurers reported a sharp rise in phantom carrier cases in 2025, with full truckloads disappearing every few days.

IUMI secretary general Lars Lange said freight exchange platforms play a critical role in closing the gaps being exploited.

“These platforms have a responsibility to ensure bogus carriers cannot operate,” Lange said. “Robust identity checks, fraud detection tools and multifactor authentication are essential if we are to stop fake carriers slipping through the system.”

The two organisations are urging shippers, logistics providers, insurers and authorities to step up cooperation. Their joint recommendations include continuous vetting of carriers and drivers, strict verification of contacts and documentation, adherence to recognised security standards, greater use of secure parking and route planning, and increased real-time monitoring of vehicles.

While digital fraud is dominating headlines in Europe and North America, IUMI and TAPA stress that violent hijackings remain common in countries such as Brazil and South Africa, highlighting the need for a global response as cargo crime continues to evolve.