An issue of fraud and cargo theft by dummy carriers is an old problem. Such criminal activities have existed at any time and in any country, and it has always intensified during crises. It is possible to minimize the risk of being suffered from fraudsters while cargo transportation just by methodologically competent arrangement of contractors selection system.
Updated Regulations of contractors (transport companies) permit-to-work has been approved in TELS in August 2012. This document has been effective in the company for many years and is being constantly improved in accordance with international experience, onrush of technology, gained information about new precedents at international transportations market.
Preliminary selection of contractors is executed by Transport Companies Supervision Department. It makes new transport company evaluation of how this company satisfies TELS requirements after studying received cooperation proposal or information found. Carrier’s activities history is being examined and preliminary conclusion about carrier’s services quality level and reliability degree is made at this stage.
A raw of signs can show presence of fraud intentions already at this stage. For instance, a company announces its’ 5 year long presence at the market, but there is no sign of it in the internet; company’s site is missing or is created hastily. There is no fixed location phone (or it exists, but nobody answers the phone), and other similar indirect signs. Fraudsters from their side also improve their modes of operation. Sometimes they carefully work at own informational support or they can operate in the name of actually operating and well-known transport company.
When a transport company passes initial selection and becomes a potential contractor, TELS employee has to perform a raw of compulsory operations before he can start cooperation with new company. All documents are carefully checked at this stage: carrier’s registration documents, licenses, insurance policies. People who offered services to TELS are checked if they are indeed this company’s employees. Offered rolling stock is inspected for correspondence with contractor’s list of own vehicles, etc.
After all compulsory procedures are carried out, information about contractor that has been gathered and entered into company’s data system is being analyzed one more time by employee of Transport Companies Supervision Department. He controls its completeness, accuracy of filling in and its validity. After control actions are over, Transport Companies Supervision Department allows start of cooperation with contractor.
Carriages of liquid cargoes can be performed by involving just contractors, who are constantly cooperating with TELS – this is TELS rule, established in order to add safety of liquid cargo transportations. Liquid cargoes are valuable cargoes or cargoes which can be promptly sold.
TELS also renders services to clients of beneficial cargo insurance without franchise. We practically ever advice our Clients to insure cargo. If goods are valuable or liquid, its insurance can become a term of its transportation.