Car shipping cancellation and deposit refunds
Wave Auto Transport, a broker that arranges car shipping with carriers, takes no upfront deposit, and you can cancel without penalty at any time before Wave starts arranging your shipment with carriers.
Below is what the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says about getting money back for each way of paying, so you can check any company's payment request against it.
Can I cancel a car shipping order with Wave Auto Transport?
Yes. You can cancel a car shipping order with Wave Auto Transport without penalty at any time before Wave starts arranging your shipment with carriers.
Arranging starts when Wave posts your shipment to carriers, contacts or negotiates with them, or dispatches one. From that point the deposit is non-refundable, including when you cancel or book the move with another company. If Wave has not secured a carrier within 10 calendar days after your requested pickup date, you can cancel and get the deposit back in full by asking in writing. Wave Auto Transport is a broker, so the vehicle is moved by a carrier that Wave arranges.
Does Wave Auto Transport take a deposit?
Not upfront. Wave Auto Transport charges a deposit only after a truck has been assigned and dispatched to your shipment.
The deposit can be paid by credit card. When that deposit can be refunded is covered in the section above.
What does the FTC say about getting money back, by payment method?
The FTC compares wiring money to sending cash and gives steps for asking for money back for each method in the table below; those steps are written for people who paid a scammer, and the FTC separately describes a federal dispute process for billing errors on credit cards.
The table lists payment methods in general, not the methods any particular company accepts. The FTC's steps for wire transfers, Zelle, payment apps, debit cards, gift cards, cryptocurrency and mailed cash are written for people who paid a scammer, and they are steps to ask for money back, not promises that it will be returned. The FTC says on the same page: "If you paid a scammer, your money might be gone already." The FTC pages used are dated December 2023 (wiring money), June 2026 (what to do if you were scammed) and May 2022 (credit cards and disputing charges). If you have already paid a company that stopped answering, the car shipping scams page has the steps and the list of agencies to report to.
| Payment method | What the FTC says about getting the money back | Who the FTC says to contact first | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wire transfer (MoneyGram, Ria, Western Union) | For a wire transfer, the FTC says: "Wiring money with services like MoneyGram, Ria, and Western Union is like sending cash — once you send it, you usually can’t get it back." If the wire went to a scammer, the FTC says to tell the wire transfer company it was a fraudulent transfer and ask it to reverse the wire transfer and give you your money back. | For a wire transfer, the wire transfer company, right away. If the wire was sent through a bank, the FTC says to contact the bank, report the fraudulent transfer and ask whether it can reverse the wire transfer. | FTC, What To Know Before You Wire Money (December 2023) |
| Zelle or bank transfer | For a Zelle payment or bank transfer sent to a scammer, the FTC says to ask your bank or credit union to reverse the payment and refund your money. It does not say the bank will do so, and it adds: "If you paid a scammer, your money might be gone already." | For a Zelle payment or bank transfer, your bank or credit union, immediately. | FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026) |
| Payment app (Venmo, Cash App, PayPal) | For a payment app such as Venmo, Cash App or PayPal, the FTC says to report the payment to the app and ask it to reverse the payment and refund your money. | For a payment app, the payment app itself, immediately. | FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026) |
| Credit card | For a credit card, the FTC says: "Federal law protects you from unauthorized use of your credit card." If a scammer tricked you into paying by credit card, the FTC says to ask the card issuer to refund your money. Separately, the FTC's page on disputing charges describes a federal dispute process for billing errors on credit cards. Its examples include a charge with the wrong date or amount or a math mistake, a charge for something you bought that you did not accept or that was not delivered as agreed, an unauthorized charge, and a charge where you want an explanation, a clarification or a written receipt. To use that process, the FTC says: "Send your letter so that it reaches the issuer within 60 days after the first bill with the error was sent to you." That page covers billing errors. It does not say that every charge can be disputed. | For a credit card, the card issuer. The FTC says to report a scam payment to the issuer immediately, using the number on the back of the card or the issuer's online account or app. For a billing-error dispute, it says to write to the address the issuer gives for billing inquiries, not the address for sending payments. | FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026); FTC, Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges (May 2022) |
| Debit card | For a debit card, the FTC says: "Federal law protects you from unauthorized use of your debit card." If someone used the debit card without your authorization, or you were tricked into paying a scammer with it, the FTC says to ask your bank or credit union to refund your money. | For a debit card, your bank or credit union, immediately, using the number on the back of the card or your online account or app. | FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026) |
| Gift card | For a gift card given to a scammer, the FTC says to tell the gift card issuer that a scammer tricked you into giving them the card number and PIN, and to ask it to refund your money. The FTC also says to keep the gift card and the receipt, if you have it, because you may need them to follow up on your claim. | For a gift card, the gift card issuer, immediately, using the number on the back of the card. | FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026) |
| Cryptocurrency | For cryptocurrency, the FTC says: "Cryptocurrency payments don’t have the same legal protections as credit and debit cards do, so it can be hard to get your money back." It says to tell the cryptocurrency exchange or ATM operator that it was a fraudulent transaction and to ask it to reverse the transaction and refund your money. | For cryptocurrency, the cryptocurrency exchange or ATM operator, immediately, and then the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. | FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026) |
| Cash sent by mail or delivery service | For cash a scammer was sent through the U.S. mail, the FTC says to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service immediately, and that for a fee the Postal Inspection Service can intercept the package, which lets you redirect a domestic shipment that has not been delivered. For cash sent through another delivery service, such as FedEx or UPS, the FTC says to contact that service as soon as possible. | For cash sent by U.S. mail, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For cash sent through another delivery service, that delivery service. | FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026) |
What should I check before paying a deposit to any company?
Check whether the company is pressing you to pay immediately or says a wire transfer is the only way to pay, which the FTC names as reasons not to wire money, and keep your receipts.
The FTC's page on wiring money advises against wiring money to anyone who pressures you into paying immediately, and to anyone who says a wire transfer is the only way to pay. Its page on credit cards says that keeping receipts, with the details of your transactions on hand, can help you get inaccurate charges fixed.
Frequently asked questions about car shipping cancellation and deposit refunds
- What if I need to cancel my car shipping order?
You can cancel without penalty before Wave Auto Transport starts arranging your shipment with carriers. After that the deposit is non-refundable, unless Wave has not secured a carrier within 10 calendar days after your requested pickup date. The full terms are under "Can I cancel a car shipping order with Wave Auto Transport?" on this page.
- Does Wave Auto Transport take a deposit?
Not upfront. Wave Auto Transport charges a deposit only after a truck has been assigned and dispatched to your shipment.
- Can I dispute a car shipping charge on my credit card?
A credit card charge can go through the federal dispute process the FTC describes when the charge is a billing error. The FTC's examples include a charge with the wrong amount and a charge for something you bought that was not delivered as agreed. The FTC page covers billing errors and does not say that every charge can be disputed. Wave cannot say whether a particular charge qualifies.
- How long do I have to dispute a credit card billing error?
60 days. The FTC says: "Send your letter so that it reaches the issuer within 60 days after the first bill with the error was sent to you." The FTC's page on disputing charges is dated May 2022.
- Where do I report a deposit I think was taken by a scam?
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC's pages give that address for reporting a scammer, and the car shipping scams page lists the other agencies named on FMCSA's fraud page.
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