Check the transaction party, not just the presentation
Negotiations use an English trading name, a Chinese company signs, a third party pays and another consignee receives the goods. This is not necessarily improper, but each difference needs explanation and appropriate documentation. Checking one name online does not establish the whole chain.
Request the full Chinese legal name, registration identifier, address and signatory-authority documents. Compare original identifiers rather than relying only on transliteration. Translation helps understanding; it does not replace authenticity or legal review.
Let’s discuss buyer information checks before shipment
I can help review your situation, identify documentation and coordination tasks, and agree participants and next steps. We can also discuss related trade issues and similar difficulties across your company’s shipments. Tell me where the process is getting stuck so we can agree a specific task and scope of support.
Discuss your taskMap the parties
| Role | Establish |
|---|---|
| Contractual buyer | Legal entity, details and representative |
| Negotiator | Principal and authority to agree terms |
| Payer | Connection to the obligation and confirmed payment arrangements |
| Consignee | Address, function and receiving readiness |
| Intermediary | Authority, remuneration and responsibilities |
Recheck a changed structure after pricing has been agreed. A different payer is more than a new invoice field: bank coordination and documentary changes may be required for the particular operation.
Separate four checks
First, confirm existence and current registration information through official sources and documents. Second, check the person's authority. Third, assess commercial capacity for this purchase: volume, acceptance arrangements and funding. Fourth, check whether the specific product can lawfully be imported and paid for through the proposed arrangements.
A registry entry does not prove solvency. A corporate email alone does not prove authority to amend a contract. One successful earlier shipment does not guarantee approval of the next. Record what was verified, by whom, when and what remains unknown.
Investigate discrepancies without stereotypes
ICC's guide to authentic certificates of origin describes misuse of a real company's identity. Registration information therefore needs to be linked to the communication channel. Confirm important account changes through a previously verified independent contact, not merely a reply to the change-request email.
Do not label every error as fraud. Different addresses may have an explanation; similar names can refer to different entities. A useful check produces a documented question and a way to resolve it. Unsupported accusations do not improve negotiations or legal evidence.
Choose a manageable first commitment
Agree specification, acceptance, payment and change procedures before the first lot. Size the transaction around verified readiness, available funding and the consequences of failure. A trial shipment still needs all applicable formalities; small volume does not waive product requirements.
The importer is also entitled to verify the Russian seller, origin and ability to supply. Prepare reciprocal evidence rather than asking the buyer to rely on reputation alone. Discuss quality and acceptance before final pricing.
Run FTA can coordinate correspondence and documents and arrange an interpreter within the agreed scope. Relevant specialists handle authorisations, legal risks and banking acceptability. Coordination does not guarantee a counterparty's integrity.
Management guidance for exporters. Numerical examples are illustrative; requirements and terms must be checked for the specific product and transaction. Sources checked on 24 October 2026.
