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

A new wave of Organized crime maneuvers It targets Americans’ holiday shopping — and their wallets.

Hackers taking advantage of malware systems and other cybercriminal tools infiltrate online shipping marketplaces to steal high-value goods while items are in transit.

“I think the criminals have determined that the weak point between point A and point B is in the transportation, right?” Michael Ivanov, chief security officer and strategic advisor for AI security firm Verkada, told Fox News Digital. “So instead of putting yourself in harm’s way by going to a warehouse or distribution center, why not pick it up in transit?”

Since 2020, both shipping companies and law enforcement have seen an alarming rise in the number of criminal groups using remote control devices, Internet methods To hijack cargo shipments and steal valuable spoils.

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Organized crime groups around the world use online tools to hijack cargo trucks while they are transporting goods. (Istock)

“when [the COVID-19 pandemic] “We’ve seen a huge uptick,” Keith Lewis, vice president of operations at Verisk CargoNet, told Fox News Digital. [cases] “We stepped back and thought we had become somewhat normal.”

“Then, using the tools and techniques that the bad guys learned from the coronavirus, it’s as if they took a year off, went to school, and then came back and reinvented themselves. [started] “Using the Internet to commit fraud, versus traditional straight-up thefts like stealing the truck at a truck stop or rest area — that’s when the scams start.”

This year has seen a rise in merchandise thefts across the country, with losses of more than $318 million resulting from stolen goods recorded. According to the data Released by Verrisk CargoNet. Additionally, data indicates that the average value of stolen shipments rose to $278,797.

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Businesses across the United States have recorded more than $318 million in losses from stolen goods since the beginning of 2025, according to data from Verisk CargoNet. (Istock)

The process of stealing goods has been simplified for thieves, thanks to modern online tools artificial intelligence. Cybercriminals often turn to online load boards — an online marketplace where companies and truckers can share details about upcoming shipments — to identify vehicles they want to target.

“You can find a load, or the driver and the company can find a load to move their equipment,” Lewis said. “Here comes the big problem. We don’t know who we’re talking to on the other end of the computer network — I can’t even say 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 the shipment. Additionally, companies are now using AI to vet cargo and drivers, ultimately making it easier for hackers to fool the software into thinking they are legitimate individuals in the supply chain.

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Criminal groups will use online load boards to map the routes of vehicles carrying goods they hope to steal, eventually intercepting drivers with forged documents and transporting the goods abroad. (Istock)

“The vetting process just went out the window,” Lewis told Fox News Digital. “So you think, ‘Okay, who’s checking this truck, who’s making sure it’s the right truck or it’s with the right driver? No one does that.’

Once criminals determine the contents and location of a particular cargo truck, they will then intercept the unmarked vehicle with a fake ID to trick the driver into handing over their items.

“This couldn’t work without The human and cyber side“You basically meet a truck with no label on it,” Ivanov told Fox News Digital. So [criminals] It would go online, then back it up with someone there in the truck to take the load at the exact spot that was designated online.”

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Since 2020, shipping companies and law enforcement have seen an alarming rise in the number of criminal groups using remote online methods to hijack cargo deliveries. (Istock)

the Holiday season It also serves as a prime opportunity for thieves to target larger-than-usual cargo shipments.

During the Thanksgiving period of 2024, there were 79 recorded cases of merchandise theft within the United States, representing a 65% increase from the previous year and representing losses of approximately $9.5 million. According to the data Released by Verrisk CargoNet.

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

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Additionally, data from Verrisk CargoNet reveals that New York City metropolitan area It has become a hotbed for criminal groups seeking to misdirect shipments in transit, with states like California, Florida and Texas also acting as a catalyst for cargo theft.

Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Sent a notification Asking stakeholders to share feedback on how the federal government can develop better strategies to reduce cargo theft, indicating that this issue is of interest to high-level law enforcement officials.

The Department of Transport added that all types of cargo thefts “cause significant economic losses, disrupt supply chains, and in some cases fund broader illicit activities such as drug trafficking, counterfeiting, and people smuggling.”

The national security aspect of cybercriminals targeting cargo shipments was echoed by Lewis, who explained that crime gangs often send stolen items out of the country — or sell the goods to Americans they believe are making a legitimate purchase.

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

Lewis added that once items are moved overseas or sold to consumers, they become untraceable by law enforcement.

“The bad guys have created a fairly legitimate supply chain overseas,” Lewis said. “When they cross [ocean] With these goods, they are no longer stolen. There is no tracking. They can move it freely throughout their country and around the world without any hesitation.”

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Currently, research companies focus primarily on identifying the habits of criminal groups by conducting surveillance of their networks, meaning that only a small number of arrests have been made. However, experts warn that while well-meaning individuals have access to technology to track down thieves, criminals have access to it too.

“The supply chain moves at the speed of light,” Lewis said. “But the nefarious supply chain moves just as fast.”