DOT Guides › Biennial update scam letters and emails: how to spot them
Biennial update scam letters and emails: how to spot them
New carriers get flooded with mail, email and calls that look official, often within minutes of a public filing. FMCSA's warnings boil down to these signs:
- The sender isn't .gov. FMCSA communications come from official sites, the FMCSA contact center, or addresses ending in dot.gov.
- It demands payment or sensitive data (SSN, EIN, bank details, card number, USDOT PIN). FMCSA says it never asks for these in unsolicited messages and never initiates contact that requires immediate payment.
- Threats and deadlines like "respond within 24 hours or be fined."
- PayPal or other payment links. FMCSA doesn't use PayPal.
- Look-alike names and websites (for example, "New MOTUS Portal" links that don't go to motus.dot.gov).
- Small print saying "not affiliated with USDOT/FMCSA." That's a private company charging for something you can do free.
What to do
- Don't click links. Type motus.dot.gov yourself.
- Report it to FMCSA: 1-800-832-5660 or ask.fmcsa.dot.gov. You can also report to the FBI at ic3.gov.
For the record: we're a private company too. We'll always say so, we never ask for logins, PINs or SSNs, and we never charge to file anything, because we don't file.
Questions
Is it illegal for a private company to offer to file my MCS-150?
No, as long as it is honest. But the filing is free with FMCSA, and you never have to use a paid service.
Official sources
Last reviewed October 16, 2026. DOT Due Dates is an independent private service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by FMCSA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the IRS, the UCR Plan, IFTA, Inc., or any state agency. Information is for general reminders only and is not legal or tax advice. Always confirm requirements and due dates with the agency. We do not file anything for you, and all of these filings can be done directly with the agencies.