Highway thieves are spoofing GPS to steal millions in data center-bound cargo

Since June, highway thieves have pilfered over $100 million worth of data center equipment using advanced techniques like forging driver IDs and manipulating GPS tracking. These thieves first hack into freight broker accounts on shipment listing sites, posting false shipments to attract genuine bidders. They then send malicious links to trucking companies that respond, installing software to take control of their accounts and bid on legitimate shipments.

In some cases, real delivery drivers unknowingly collect the cargo, while in others, fake driver licenses are used to hire accomplices. The stolen goods typically include servers, fiber-optic cables, computer memory chips, copper wires, and bitcoin mining machines. In one of the most significant thefts, GPS coordinates were tampered with to thwart digital monitoring.

Equipment targeted in these heists often consists entirely of data center gear, such as $300,000 worth of copper wire spools and $1 million worth of custom-made modular power solutions equipment found in Illinois. Other truckloads may contain a mix of data center equipment and other items, like nicotine pouches, televisions, shoes, printers, speakers, and skin care products.

The thefts threaten not just the AI industry but could impact Americans broadly. While some recovered goods, in two of the largest thefts, none was found, and off-duty police officers escorting shipments were targeted in hit-and-runs. Thieves are increasingly using email hacking to target lucrative shipments, misdirecting them, disrupting GPS, and employing AI to generate fake driver licenses to enlist delivery drivers as accomplices.