WASHINGTON, DC (TruckingNewsNow.com) — The Department of Transportation is warning FMCSA applicants of questionable — and potentially fraudulent — marketing tactics by so-called “service providers” claiming to help applicants.

From DOT:

FMCSA is aware that motor carrier officials and new entrant applicants often receive confusing or misleading solicitations from service providers or third party administrators by telephone, e-mail, text and US Mail. These businesses obtain your company’s information when you submit an application or update your information with FMCSA, because your basic carrier information is publically available.

These companies often contact new carriers within minutes after they complete online transactions with FMCSA. Aggressive or fraudulent marketing complaints have included carriers being pressured to immediately enroll in:

• Drug and Alcohol Supervisor training

• General FMCSA regulatory and compliance support

• Unified Carrier Registration Compliance

• Biennial Update or Unified Registration System compliance

The Department of Transportation wants drivers and applicants to know that it does not endorse private companies and encourages victims of fraudulent or aggressive marketing to file a complaint with local law enforcement.

Under federal law, impersonating “an officer or employee acting under the authority of the United States” in order to demand or obtain “any money, document, or thing of value” can result in a fine as well as imprisonment for up to three years (18 USC § 912).

To learn more, please click here to visit the FMCSA website.