Arizona Department of Transportation has issued a warning cautioning carriers to be on alert for any suspicious activity from individuals claiming to be from the Arizona Department of Transportation Enforcement and Compliance Division.
Warning flags were raised when an unnamed Mesa, Arizona carrier received a call from a man who identified himself as an ADOT officer. He claimed that one of their trucks had been in a crash and that the company would need to send payment immediately for a mechanic who had been called out to make repairs.
The company’s operations manager suspected that the call might be a scam due to inconsistencies in the story. It turns out that there had been no crash.
If you are contacted by someone identifying themselves as an ADOT officer, here are some things the ADOT wants you to know:
- While ADOT officers assist state troopers and local police agencies with commercial vehicle safety inspections, they don’t investigate crashes or typical traffic incidents.
- ADOT officers will assist drivers who have been involved in crashes or have mechanical problems but will never unilaterally call mechanics and hold trucks until payment is made.
- ADOT officers may call for heavy-duty tow trucks, but this would be discussed beforehand with the trucking company.
- An ADOT officer will give a trucking company his or her name, badge number, location and contact information. The officer will also provide the truck number and driver’s name. Typically, the officer will have the driver speak with his or her company.
If you are suspicious of a caller, you should contact the ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division dispatch center at (602) 712-8396.
Source: bizjournals, azdot, trucker, mesaindependent
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