Would You Notice If Your Payroll Was Paying Someone Who Doesn’t Exist?
Imagine this: Every week, your trucking company processes payroll. You trust that the money is going to real employees—drivers hauling loads, dispatchers handling routes, and mechanics keeping your fleet running.
But what if one of those employees isn’t real?
A ghost employee is someone who shouldn’t be on your payroll. Maybe it’s a fake name added by a dishonest employee. Maybe it’s someone who left the company but is still getting paid. Either way, this scam could be draining thousands of dollars from your business—without you even realizing it.
If your payroll is being stolen by ghost employees, you need to take action now. Let’s talk about how this happens and what you can do to stop it.
What Is a Ghost Employee?
A ghost employee is a fake or inactive worker who is still collecting paychecks from your company. This payroll scam happens in many ways:
- Completely Fake Employee – A payroll manager or HR worker creates a fake person in the system and pockets the paycheck.
- Former Employee Still Getting Paid – Someone who left the company but was never removed from the payroll. Their direct deposit still goes through.
- Duplicate Employee Records – A real employee gets paid under two names—one for them, one as a ghost.
- Third-Party Payroll Fraud – If you use an outside payroll service, a dishonest worker could add extra names to skim money.
For trucking companies, this is especially dangerous because payroll is already a huge expense. If someone is stealing from it, you may not notice until it’s too late.
Ghost Employees: How Much Money Are You Losing?
Let’s do the math:
- If a ghost employee is making $1,500 per week, that’s $78,000 per year—gone.
- If your company has multiple ghost employees, this could easily add up to hundreds of thousands in lost wages.
- This doesn’t even count taxes and benefits paid for a fake worker.
For many trucking companies, this scam can be the difference between profit and loss.
Why Trucking Companies Are at High Risk for Payroll Fraud
Large trucking companies especially need to watch out for ghost employees. Why?
- More Employees = Less Oversight – It’s harder to verify every worker when you have hundreds on payroll.
- Drivers Are Spread Out – Unlike an office job where you see everyone daily, trucking companies have remote workers. Fake employees can slip through the cracks.
- Payroll Departments Are Separate from Operations – Payroll teams may not see the employees they’re paying, making fraud easier.
- Automated Payroll Systems Lack Human Checks – If you’re not double-checking payroll records, no one else is.
If you don’t actively check for ghost employees, they could be stealing from you right now.
Signs That a Ghost Employee Might Be on Your Payroll
How do you know if payroll fraud is happening in your company? Look for these red flags:
- Payroll Costs Keep Increasing (But You’re Not Hiring More People)
- Are you paying more money each month without hiring new drivers?
- If payroll is rising but your employee count is the same, it’s time to investigate.
- Duplicate or Suspicious Bank Accounts
- Do multiple employees have the same direct deposit account?
- Are there payments going to an account that no one recognizes?
- Employees with No Work Records
- Check logbooks and dispatch records—is this person actually driving or working?
- If there are no time logs or dispatch assignments, they might not be real.
- Unusual Pay Patterns
- Do some employees only get paid on special dates?
- Are there overtime payments that don’t match actual work hours?
- Fake Social Security Numbers or Missing Details
- Every real employee has a valid Social Security Number (SSN).
- Check for duplicates, missing numbers, or fake-looking IDs.
If any of these sound suspicious, it’s time to audit your payroll—immediately.
How to Audit Your Payroll and Stop Ghost Employees
To catch payroll fraud before it costs you thousands, follow these steps:
- Run a Surprise Payroll Audit
- Do an unexpected payroll check.
- Compare your payroll list with actual employees.
- Have managers confirm every worker.
- Check Payroll Against Employee Records
- Look at payroll, HR records, and work logs side by side.
- Make sure every employee is actually active and working.
- Make sure termination paperwork gets turned in to HR and the Payroll.
- Verify Direct Deposit and Bank Accounts
- Look for multiple employees using the same bank account.
- Confirm that bank info belongs to real, current workers.
- Use Employee ID Verification
- Require biometric sign-ins, ID badges, or login tracking for payroll.
- Ensure that only real employees get paid.
- Require Two-Person Payroll Approval
- Don’t let one person control payroll alone.
- Have two different people approve changes and payments.
- Investigate Any Suspicious Payments Immediately
- If something looks off, don’t ignore it.
- Follow the money and ask tough questions.
Stopping ghost employees is about catching fraud before it drains your business.
What to Do If You Find a Ghost Employee on Payroll
If you uncover payroll fraud, take immediate action:
- Investigate Internally – Gather records and proof before taking action.
- Alert Your Accounting and HR Teams – Make sure everyone is on alert.
- Report the Fraud – If an employee is stealing from payroll, legal action may be necessary.
- Strengthen Your Payroll Controls – Prevent this from happening again by improving checks and balances.
Every day that a ghost employee stays on payroll, you lose more money. Act fast to shut down the scam.
Don’t Let Payroll Fraud Drain Your Profits
Ghost employees could be stealing thousands from your trucking business every year. If your payroll has unexplained expenses, you need to act now.
Many trucking companies don’t realize the full cost of payroll fraud until it’s too late. By implementing surprise payroll audits, tracking direct deposits, and strengthening payroll controls, you can eliminate fraud before it drains your profits.
Run a payroll audit today—before another paycheck goes to a ghost employee.
Need Help Managing Trucking Payroll?
At Superior Trucking Payroll Service, we help trucking companies handle payroll accurately and efficiently so you can focus on running your business.
- We simplify payroll management.
- We help you stay compliant with payroll taxes.
- We make paying your drivers easier and stress-free.
Whether you’re growing your fleet or need a better payroll system, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn how we can support your trucking company!
Written by Melisa Bush
With over 15 years of experience in the trucking industry, Melisa is well-versed in the complexities of trucking payroll and adept at navigating special circumstances. Before joining Superior Trucking Payroll Service, Melisa worked at a trucking company, where she managed driver miles and expenses for a fleet of 50 trucks. This hands-on experience gives her unique insight into the challenges our clients face when preparing their payroll data.
Melisa’s top priority is customer service. She strives to treat each client as an individual with genuine needs, rather than just another number in the system. Her goal is to alleviate the burdens of our clients and make their daily operations smoother.