Above the Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (October 23, 2026)

By Adrian Gonzalez

Every once in a while, it hits me: I am kept alive by a little pink pill.

I take it every morning, the first thing I do when I get out of bed. Without it, my metabolism would eventually go to zero and I would die.

I take this pill because I don’t have a thyroid any more. Cancer f’d it up, so I took it out.

In the big scheme of things, taking a little pill to stay alive is not so bad. Unless aliens invade us and I have to rush into the woods to hide — and in the mad dash to the trees, I leave my pills behind. In that case, however, we’d probably all be f’d already.

(More realistically, the bigger risk is a shortage of pills due to a war or some other major event causing a supply disruption. But the alien invasion is a much better death story).

I’m hitting the road again this morning. My bags are packed, including my pill case. But just in case my backpack gets stolen, or the hotel I’m staying at burns down while I’m away, I always carry a week’s worth of little pink pills in my pocket.

A little life insurance, because you never know.

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Before I depart, here’s the supply chain and logistics news that caught my attention this week:

Cargo Theft: Even Pokémon Cards Aren’t Safe?

Another case of cargo theft, this time Pokémon cards. As Esther Fung reports in The Wall Street Journal, “thieves stole nearly $1 million worth of trading cards from a FedEx truck in Orange County, Calif., in a heist last week that shows collectibles have become a fresh robbery target.”

“Hundreds of sports and Pokémon cards valued at around $963,000 were taken from the FedEx truck in Santa Ana, Calif., local police said. The truck was taking the trading cards from a firm that helps owners value their collections, and was going to ship the cards back.”

I’ve been interviewing a lot of transportation executives about the trends they’re concerned about heading into 2027 and freight fraud is near the top (rising costs and capacity constraints are other top-of-mind trends).

I’ve written extensively about freight fraud and cargo theft the past two years, most recently this past March (“Freight Fraud Is Escalating. Are You Taking It Seriously Yet?”). I’ll just repeat again my recommendations for what you can do to minimize the risk of becoming a freight fraud victim:

1. Strengthen carrier vetting — before you tender the load
In many cases, fraudsters don’t break in — they get invited in by convincingly posing as legitimate carriers. That makes vetting a continuous, multi-layered process of verifying identity, authority, and equipment, not a quick one-time check.

2. Move from “trust then verify” to “verify then trust”
Fraud today is built on impersonation, exploiting the industry’s reliance on relationships and speed. Verification needs to happen upfront, especially when something feels urgent or too good to be true.

3. Implement real-time visibility and anomaly detection
Visibility is no longer just about service — it’s about security. Detecting anomalies like route deviations, tracking gaps, or unexpected changes in shipment details can help stop fraud while it’s happening, not after the loss.

4. Use risk scoring in load assignment
Not all carriers present the same level of risk, even if they meet basic requirements. Leading companies are embedding risk into tendering decisions, asking not just “Can they move the load?” but “Should they be trusted to?”

5. Train your team to spot red flags
Many fraud incidents hinge on small warning signs that are easy to miss in fast-paced environments. Training teams to recognize those signals — and empowering them to pause and escalate — adds a critical human layer of defense.

As I’ve said before, in today’s freight market, hoping you won’t become a victim is not a strategy. Take action now.

And with that, I’m off to the airport. Have a meaningful weekend.

Song of the Week: “Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors” by Editors