CALGARY — Several truckers across the country have been repordedly ripped-off by carrier-brokers, some with allegedly Eastern European mafia links.

On its website, the Alberta Motor Truck Association claims a carrier, formerly of Dartmouth, N.S., has been double-brokering freight for several months.

Over a dozen carriers have reported them for non-payment. According to AMTA, independent security companies have investigated and noticed loads were double-brokered to several carriers for as much as $1,900 more than the original price.

There are unverifiable reports in the trucking industry that this case has similarities to other occurrences last year in the Montreal area. It’s suspected that the Montreal-area fraud could be linked to Russian organized crime.

Truckers are prime targets for criminals who purchase struggling carriers with good credit rating. They then attempt to double-broker as much freight as possible in a three to four-month period and often take cash advances on the freight, explains the trucking association.

The loads end up being hauled by carriers and truckers who won’t get paid.

In the past two years there have been several similar cases in the Metro Montreal and Ottawa area.

Carriers who think they’ve been victims of this scam are encouraged to call the RCMP Fraud department at 1-800-771-5401.