A $1M Tequila Heist That Didn’t Need a Gun: How Cyber Fraud Stole Two Truckloads

 

A tequila company recently lost two full truckloads of product in a “digital freight fraud” scam. Using impersonation, fake paperwork, and manipulated tracking, attackers redirected shipments.

It’s the kind of attack that feels like a normal shipping delay—until it’s too late.

What You’ll Learn

• How the tequila shipment theft happened

• Why even cautious leaders fall for this scam

• Simple controls that could have stopped it

• A prevention checklist you can apply immediately

 

The Story (and Why It Matters)

Shipping high-value products is stressful. Trucks run late. Parts fail. Weather disrupts schedules. People miss calls.

That normalcy is exactly what criminals exploit.

In the Santo Spirits incident, two shipments disappeared—about 24,000 bottles, roughly $1 million in product. Some was later recovered, but the damage to operations and trust was significant.

If you’re asking, “How can a company lose entire truckloads?” you’re asking the right question.

How the Scam Worked

This type of theft, often called double brokering or freight identity fraud, follows a predictable pattern:

1. Impersonation – Criminals posed as legitimate carriers or brokers.

2. Control of the shipment – They inserted themselves into pickup instructions and routing.

3. Digital deception – GPS tampering, forged documents, and believable updates bought time.

No hacking or warehouse break-ins were needed. They hacked trust.

Why Leaders Fall for It

• Shipping delays feel normal – A “truck issue” like a water pump failure is believable.

• Vendor verification is informal – Emails, PDFs, and phone calls are easy to spoof.

• Tracking creates false confidence – GPS can be manipulated.

• Teams are busy and divided – Criminals exploit gaps between operations, finance, and leadership.

This isn’t about negligence; it’s about processes built for speed, not fraud resistance.

What Could Have Stopped It

 

1. Lock Down Carrier Verification

• Call-back verification using trusted numbers

• Check MC/DOT and insurance matches

• Treat last-minute carrier swaps as red-alert events

2. Separate Shipping from Approval

• Require second-person approval for carrier changes

• Use a checklist: who approved, why, what was verified

3. Tamper-Proof Shipments

• Numbered seals recorded at pickup

• Photos, driver ID confirmation, timestamped proof-of-possession

4. Don’t Trust Tracking Alone

GPS can be spoofed or jammed; treat it as one signal among many (Gallagher)

5. Treat Vendor Workflows Like Cybersecurity

• MFA for logistics portals

• Single source of truth for contacts

• Escalation rules and incident playbooks

Executive Takeaway

 

Modern cybercrime often looks like normal business.

If you move products, pay invoices, or approve exceptions over email, you’re at risk. The good news: leadership-level process fixes are simple and effective.

Quick Checklist: “Could This Happen to Us?”

 

• Verified contact list for critical vendors/carriers?

• Call-back verification for route, carrier, or bank changes?

• 2-person approval for shipping/payment exceptions?

• MFA on logistics and finance systems?

• Written playbook for late-load or reroute events?

• Team trained on impersonation and vendor fraud?

How Novatech Helps

Novatech reduces risk without slowing operations:

• Map vendor and logistics workflows

• Identify impersonation and exception fraud risks

• Implement practical guardrails (MFA, approvals, verification)

• Build a leadership-ready incident plan

Take action before it’s too late. Talk to Novatech about a cybersecurity and vendor risk review today.