In an industry that’s already tackling issues like fuel prices, regulatory pressure and driver shortages, the increase in fuel fraud is an expensive yet somewhat avoidable problem.
With enterprise fleets reporting annual losses of up to 19% to theft and misuse, and smaller operations seeing losses around 16%, the impact on the industry is widespread.
Image: Certas Energy
This paints a bleak picture, but there are digital solutions that are innovating the sector and saving businesses thousands of pounds.
Traditional fuel cards, much like any other bank card, are vulnerable to theft, cloning, and misuse. Whether it’s drivers writing PINs on the back of cards or cloned data being harvested by criminals via skimming devices left on card readers, reports of theft via fuel cards are all too common.
Modern digital solutions can address these issues with fully digitised systems and dynamic PIN technology. With these solutions, drivers never reuse the same PIN twice; instead, a new code is generated every 30 seconds within an app. The PIN appears in real time on the driver’s phone when they authorise a purchase, eliminating the need to memorise codes or handle insecure cards.
The latest advancements in fuel management technology include enhanced security measures. These include mandatory facial recognition and ID checks through third-party providers when users sign up. It’s a system similar to that used in banking, designed to ensure the person applying is exactly who they claim to be – and that they’re legitimately authorised to open a credit account in a business’s name.
For fleet managers, digital-only systems mean fewer admin headaches. Digital fuel cards are designed specifically for the real-world demands of commercial transport. Everything is managed through one portal, with no need to issue, track, or replace physical cards. It’s a simpler, more secure way to handle fuel access.
Modern fuel management apps function over Bluetooth, meaning drivers can access fuel in rural locations with weak or no mobile signal – a common pain point in depot-to-depot logistics. What’s more, because the card is accessible via the user’s phone, it benefits from the additional layer of security that biometrics provides – something that most phones have these days.
Moving to automated, secure systems shifts businesses from a reactive stance on fraud to a proactive one. Instead of chasing down losses after the fact, fleet operators are now positioned to prevent theft before it happens.
Digital fuel management tools are powerful fraud deterrents. They offer total digital solutions that drastically reduce the risk for businesses and remove the pressure from drivers.
In today’s climate, automation isn’t just a competitive edge – it’s a necessity. Upgraded systems are helping businesses move away from reactive fraud management toward proactive, secure systems that make fuel theft significantly harder and operational management far easier.
Fuel fraud may be a known problem, but it’s no longer an inevitable one. With smarter, automated solutions like FuelTapp, the industry’s first digital fuel card, the haulage sector now has access to tools that protect both fuel and finances.
As fuel costs fluctuate and operational demands grow, digital innovation like this might just be the key to keeping fleets moving – and bottom lines protected.
Author: Andrew Goodwin, Head of Fuel Cards, Certas Energy
