Double brokering is when a broker takes a load from the shipper or original broker and re-brokers it without authorization. The carrier hauls in good faith, delivers clean, and then waits on an invoice that nobody intends to pay. These are the signs that come up again and again.
- The MC number on the rate confirmation does not match the company you spoke with. This is the single strongest signal. Stop and look it up.
- They will not give you an MC number. Every legitimate broker has one and will share it without hesitation.
- The MC was issued in the last few months. New authority plus aggressive volume is a pattern worth questioning.
- The rate is well above market. An above-market rate is the bait. It is designed to override your hesitation.
- Email domain does not match the company name. A gmail.com address for a company with a website and a fleet of shippers is a mismatch.
- They refuse to send the bond certificate. A bonded broker can produce the filing.
- Payment terms suddenly change after delivery. "Our quick pay is 5%, the 30 days starts when the shipper pays us" is not a term you agreed to.
- Dispatch phone number changes between calls, or nobody can name the shipper. A legitimate broker knows the shipper on their own load.
- Revoked authority with no bond. There is nothing to collect against. This ends the conversation.
What to do when you spot one
Ask for the MC number, look it up, and compare it to the rate confirmation. If the numbers do not match, do not argue, do not negotiate a better rate, and do not take the load. Report the carrier or broker to FMCSA if there is evidence of unauthorized brokering.
Build the habit, not the exception
The carriers who never get caught are not better judges of character. They run the same two-minute check on every load, including the ones from brokers they have worked with for years, because authority status can change between loads.
Reviewed October 28, 2026. General information for carriers, not legal advice.