Your inbox is filled to the brim with some of the most bizarre messages from companies that claim to be directly associated with federal bodies. They want you to have a closer look at your DOT compliance needs. They claim that something is wrong with your MCS 150 form filing and your random drug and alcohol policy that you implemented at work last month.
How do they know so much about your DOT compliance? There is a simple answer to all of it. They are frauds. You are looking at a DOT compliance scam letter that has a long list of very believable and realistic claims attached to the message. Most of them will apply to you just as they do to any other carrier in the transport sector or any commercial entity governed by the US department of transportation.
You better stay away from them at all costs. If you are not careful and do not know how to differentiate between such false messages and actual promotional content, you have come to the right place. The following section talks about a few helpful tips that will help you filter out scam letters from actual educational and promotional content that is intended to keep you well-informed. Let’s begin:
Table of Contents
1.Differentiate Between A Scam And Genuine Emails
Scam or spam emails are always going to have extreme claims. They will often declare themselves to be associated with the federal motor carrier safety administration and the US department of transportation. When you look at promotional and informative letters sent to you by third-party administrators in the market, the tonality and quality of content are entirely different. The former is going to threaten you with fines and penalties while the latter is only going to keep you aware of the recent and most relevant developments that have happened in your industry and specifically concerning the federal motor carrier safety administration. So yes, this is the first hint that will help you differentiate between spam emails and informative content.
2. Suspicious Links To Images And Videos
In most cases, the damage doesn’t happen when you open your inbox or even the message that you have received from these DOT compliance scam groups. It happens when you click on the link that has been shared by them. It can appear to be a link to a video or an image and it is going to get you curious. These links are only going to lead you to forms and other kinds of web pages that will ask you for your login credentials and credit card details. You are not supposed to do that. There are, in many cases, infected attachments with these forms and web pages that contain malware. Clicking them or visiting these web pages can make your computer system vulnerable to attacks. So make sure to only click on such links if you are 100% certain about their source or where they lead you.
3. Do Not Download Any Attachments
Are you sure about the authenticity of the sender of the email? Is he in your address book? Have you received any information or any kind of promotional content such as a newsletter or an ebook from that sender before? If your answer is yes, then it is probably safe to download the attachment from the same sender. However, you still need to be careful about what links you click and what files you are downloading. The best way is to keep your Windows Defender or anti-virus software activated at all times. Keep the firewall up so that any infected attachments are not able to access any of your critical company data. If you receive a warning signal or red page telling you to move back to safety, listen to it always.
4. What Kind Of Language Is That?
This is an absolute telltale sign of an email that has been written to coax you into clicking on a few links that you are not meant to. Look at the language of the email. You will often find grammatical mistakes and also some very critical and almost offensive spelling errors. This is what everyone talks about when they are referring to cringe videos on social media. Yes, the feeling you get after reading these emails is quite similar. These written texts are not only poor in quality but almost amusing and absolutely hilarious when you read them out loud. They will come up with the oddest combinations of words and phrases which is evidence enough that this email is nothing but a DOT compliance scam you need to stay away from. It is better to just exit and delete that email from your inbox and probably block the sender.
5. Check The Domain Name For Spelling Errors
This is another way to identify a dot compliance scam letter. If the domain name is spelled incorrectly, it is definitely a strong indication that it is a phishing attempt on your organization. But the problem with this clue is that anyone can buy a domain on the internet. All of these domains must be unique which means that some people deliberately spell out their domain names incorrectly. However, a great way to find out about the legitimacy of any domain name is to conduct a simple Google search. There will be some negative reviews or customer complaints against that domain name on some forums online. If you find even a bit of suspicious content or any claims that say that the domain name in question is not reliable, do not pay attention to the messages you have received from them.
6. What? Where? Now? Are You Serious?
If the message that you have received tends to send over a wave of panic or something that creates a sense of urgency, you have identified a DOT compliance scam letter in your inbox. First of all, no need to panic. Calm down and go through the text of the email. You will find it almost laughable. Remember, when you have the right third-party administrator or DOT compliance facilitator with you, there is absolutely no need to get nervous or even doubt your compliance in the first place. You are up to date. You do not have any license to renew or any permits to refresh. You do not have any forms to submit or any inspections to make. Everything is in order.
Conclusion
As pointed out above, when you have the right third-party administrator or DOT compliance facilitator, no matter how many emails you receive or how many threatening messages you read in a day, nothing is going to deter you from your path. Being aware of your compliance and any related needs in the future is important. This is why legit DOT Compliance groups exist. They are there to keep compliance easy for you.
