SCAM ALERT: Fake and careless "SAPs" are targeting drivers who have just had a violation. Before you pay anyone or accept a designation in the Clearinghouse, read the warning signs below.
After a positive test or a refusal, most drivers are worried about one thing: getting back to work. That urgency is exactly what scammers count on. They find drivers online, promise a fast and painless "clearance", take a payment, and either disappear or deliver an evaluation that will not hold up. Then the driver pays again, to a real SAP, and loses weeks in the process.
Here is what we tell every driver who calls us, whether or not they choose us.
Warning signs
- They found you first. An unexpected message on social media, a text or a cold call about "your violation" is a red flag. A legitimate SAP waits for you, or your employer, to reach out.
- They only take a direct payment app, with no other option. If the only way to pay is Zelle, Cash App, Venmo or a similar app, and there is no card option, no invoice and no business name attached, be careful. Direct payments are hard to get back if something goes wrong. A legitimate practice can tell you exactly who you are paying and give you a receipt.
- They promise an outcome. "Guaranteed clearance", "back on the road this week" or "no classes needed" are promises no honest SAP can make. Your recommendation depends on your evaluation, and nobody knows what it will be until you have been evaluated.
- They sell an "all-in" package. One price for the evaluation, the classes and your "clearance" is a sign the outcome was decided before they met you.
- They want your Clearinghouse designation before they have talked to you. Once a SAP accepts your designation you cannot switch, so the conversation should always come first.
- There is no real face-to-face evaluation. DOT requires your evaluation to be done face to face, either in person or by live, two-way video. A phone call, an online questionnaire or a form you fill out on your own does not count.
- They send you only to their own program. A SAP generally may not refer you to a program they own or profit from. You should be given real options.
- Tons of glowing reviews, or videos of "happy clients". Reviews can be bought, and a sudden pile of five-star reviews with no detail is a warning sign, not a reassurance. Be especially wary of testimonial videos from drivers celebrating their "clearance". SAP evaluations are confidential, and real clients rarely appear on camera.
- They give you your follow-up testing schedule. The follow-up testing plan goes to your employer, not to you. A "SAP" who hands you a testing calendar is not following the rules.
CAUTION: Not every substance abuse counselor is a DOT SAP. Only a DOT-qualified Substance Abuse Professional can do the evaluations you need before your return-to-duty test. A SAP must hold a qualifying credential, complete DOT qualification training and pass an exam, and keep up with continuing education (49 CFR 40.281).
How to check a SAP before you commit
- Talk first. A real SAP will explain the whole return-to-duty process: the initial evaluation, any education or treatment, the follow-up evaluation, the return-to-duty test and follow-up testing. Ask them to walk you through it.
- Ask about credentials. Ask what license or certification qualifies them as a SAP, and in which state. A legitimate SAP will tell you without hesitation.
- Get the price in writing. Know what is included, what is not, and what happens if you need a second follow-up evaluation.
- Confirm they are in the Clearinghouse. Search for them in the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse before you send a designation request.
- Know who you are paying. Ask for the business name, address and phone number, and keep your receipt.
How DFW SAP does it
- We do not cold-contact drivers. You call us, or your employer refers you.
- We talk with you before you designate us in the Clearinghouse.
- Your evaluation is face to face: in person in Dallas or by live video.
- You can pay by Zelle or by card online, and Zelle shows our registered business name, Brooktree Counseling & Consulting PLLC. Prices are on our payments page.
- We never promise a result. We promise a fair, individual evaluation and straight answers about what is required of you.
If you think you have been scammed
Stop paying, keep every message and receipt, and contact your bank or payment app right away. You can report the person to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov and tell the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (transportation.gov/odapc). Then call us at 214-901-7079. We will tell you where you stand and what still needs to happen.