Truckers get a legal weapon against government-impersonation scams
H.R. 8799 — Stop Scamming Truckers Act · Filed by Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced May 13, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill requires private companies that contact truckers about USDOT numbers to clearly disclose they are not the government and not affiliated with the Department of Transportation. It prohibits these companies from using government seals, logos, or implying that payment is required to obtain or maintain a USDOT number. The bill creates a private right of action allowing truckers to sue for violations, with damages of $500–$5,000 per communication plus actual damages and attorney fees.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is straightforward fraud prevention: it mandates clear disclosure, prohibits impersonation, and creates a private remedy. The stated purpose (protecting truckers from scams) matches the actual mechanism.
What the text implies
- The private right of action with low statutory damages ($500 minimum) and no reliance requirement may generate significant litigation against third-party USDOT registration services, potentially affecting legitimate business models that assist truckers with compliance.
- The 5-year statute of limitations is unusually long for consumer fraud claims and may create tail liability for companies that sent communications years ago under different compliance standards.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
plaintiff's attorneys (contingency-fee litigation); trucking industry (reduced scam losses)