Paying a deposit to a supplier you’ve never worked with is one of the riskiest moments in international trade. Most fraud doesn’t involve fake products; it involves a fake business, or a real business whose identity has been borrowed. These checks take less than an hour and catch most of it.
1. Ask for their WBWO number and check it yourself
If the supplier says they’re WBWO certified, ask for their WBWO number. It looks like WBWO-KE-19-0412: the letters WBWO, a two-letter country code, the year they joined, and four digits.
Enter the number at wbwo.org/verify. Don’t rely on a link or a screenshot the supplier sends you. Type the address yourself, so you know you’re looking at our record and not a copy.
The record tells you whether the business is currently certified, when it was last audited, and when its certification runs until. If the record says certification has lapsed, ask why before going further.
2. Match the seal
Every certified member has its own seal, generated from its WBWO number. No two members have the same one. The seal on a genuine certificate matches the seal on the public record exactly.
If the supplier sends you a certificate, compare the two side by side. A certificate with a different seal, a different business name or a number that doesn’t exist is not genuine.
3. Check the company registry in their country
A WBWO record confirms that we’ve checked the business, but it’s still worth looking at the official company registry in the supplier’s country. Most registries let you search by company name or registration number for free.
Check that the legal name, registration number and registered address match what’s on their quotation and invoice. Small differences, like a missing word or a different company type, matter.
4. Compare the bank account name with the legal name
Before paying, look closely at the name on the bank account. It should match the supplier’s legal name. Be cautious if you’re asked to pay:
- a person rather than the company
- a company with a different name, described as a “partner,” “agent” or “sister company”
- an account in a different country from where the business is registered, without a clear reason
There can be legitimate reasons for any of these, but they’re also the most common signs of fraud. Ask for an explanation in writing, and check it.
5. Treat changed bank details as a warning sign
One of the most common frauds in trade starts with an email that looks like it comes from your supplier, saying their bank details have changed. Often the email account has been hacked, so it really does come from their address.
If bank details change, don’t reply to the email. Call the supplier on a phone number you already had, not one given in the message, and confirm the change with someone you’ve dealt with before. Never act on changed bank details sent only by email.
6. Use secure payment terms for first orders
For a first order, avoid paying the full amount upfront. Options that protect both sides include:
- a letter of credit, where your bank pays the supplier only when they present agreed shipping documents
- escrow, where a third party holds the payment until you confirm delivery
- a smaller deposit, with the balance paid against a bill of lading or on delivery
Secure terms cost a little more, but a genuine supplier will usually accept them for a first order. A supplier who refuses any protection at all is telling you something.
WBWO members can ask the trade desk to explain which terms suit a particular deal.
7. Keep a record
Save copies of the WBWO record, the registry search, the quotation, the contract and every message about payment. If something does go wrong, a clear record makes it much easier for your bank, your insurer or WBWO mediation to help.
If something doesn’t match
If a WBWO number doesn’t exist, the seal doesn’t match, or the business name on a certificate is different from the record, the certificate may be fake. Email the number, the supplier’s details and where you saw them to verify@wbwo.org. We investigate every report and act against misuse of WBWO’s name and seal.
Even when every check passes, no check is a guarantee of payment or delivery. What these steps do is make sure you’re dealing with the business you think you’re dealing with, which is where most safe trade begins.