How can I tell if a buyer's email is fake?

Find the company's website yourself in a search engine, not through the link in the email. If the part after @ is different from the real website, or looks almost the same with one letter changed, treat it as a serious warning. A Gmail or Outlook address signed as a large company is also a warning.

Is a new domain always a scam?

No. Many honest companies register new domains. But a domain that is a few weeks old does not fit a company that says it has traded for 20 years. Use it as a reason to call the company through its official phone number.

How do I check a VAT number of an EU company?

Use VIES, the free VAT check of the European Commission. It shows if the number is active and, in most countries, the company name and address. Compare them with the email.

What should I do if I already shipped the goods?

Contact the police at once and give them all emails, documents and phone numbers. Do not tell the buyer that you went to the police. Scammers often keep writing until the payment date.

How to Check if a Foreign Buyer Is Legit: 9 Checks Before You Reply

A new buyer writes to you. The order is big, the price is fine, and they want to start fast. It looks like a great day.

Most of these messages are real. Some are not. Fake buyers order goods, take the delivery and never pay. Banks and export credit agencies see the same patterns again and again, and most of them can be spotted with a few simple checks before you reply.

Here are the 9 checks I use for every new buyer.

1. Find the real website yourself

Do not click the link in the email. Search for the company name in Google and find its official website.

Then compare the website with the part of the email after @. If the buyer writes from j.smith@freshfruit-group.com and the real company uses freshfruit.com, stop. Scammers often register domains that look almost the same: one letter changed, a word like "group" or "trading" added, or a different ending (.com instead of .fr).

A Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo address signed as a large company is also a warning. Real purchasing departments use company email.

2. Check how old the domain is

Every domain has a registration date. You can see it for free in a WHOIS or RDAP lookup.

Domain age	What it means
Less than 6 months	Strong warning. Call the company before you reply.
6 to 12 months	Normal for new companies, but not for a company with "20 years on the market".
More than 12 months	Fine. Go to the next check.

A new domain is not proof of fraud. It is a reason to confirm the buyer through another channel.

3. Check the company register and VAT number

Ask for the registration number. A real company gives it without a problem.

EU companies: check the VAT number in VIES and the EORI number in the EU EORI database. The name must be the same as in the email.
Other countries: find the official company register of that country. The EU e-Justice portal links to all EU registers.

If the number belongs to another company, or the company is closed, do not continue.

4. Check the person

Search for the person's name together with the company name. Look for a LinkedIn profile, the company's team page or the company register.

A missing profile is only a small minus: many people in food trade have no public profile. A profile at a different company is a bigger problem. If you find the real person, send them a short message on LinkedIn and ask if they really sent the request.

5. Search for scam reports

Search the email address, the domain and the phone number with words like "scam" or "fraud". Real companies often publish warnings like "people use our name to order goods".

If a public warning names exactly this email or phone number, you have your answer.

6. Check the address on the map

Open the company address and the delivery address in Google Maps and Street View. Is there a real warehouse with the company's name on it?

Be careful when:

the delivery address is in a different country than the company,
the address is a logistics hub, a rented warehouse or a house,
the buyer changes the delivery address at the last minute.

7. Check the website and trade activity

Does the website work? Does the company really trade products like yours? Look for import records, trade fair exhibitor lists and news in trade media. A company that says it imports 20 trucks of apples a month usually leaves a trace.

8. Read the message again

Scam messages often look the same:

no questions about quality, certificates or your company,
your price is accepted with no discussion,
urgent deadlines ("send the proforma today"),
a CEO or owner places the order himself,
payment only after delivery, with no letter of credit,
a request to continue on another email address,
small paid orders first, then a very large one.

One small thing, like "Dear Sir/Madam", means nothing on its own. Three or four of these together are a clear pattern.

9. Confirm through official contacts

This is the most important step. Call or email the company using the contacts from its real website, not the ones in the message. Ask reception for the person by name and ask if the company really sent this request.

Before you ship:

in your contract with the transport company, write that the delivery address cannot change without your written approval,
for a large order, use documentary collection or a letter of credit through your bank,
ask trusted partners in that country if they know the company.

The short version

Do these checks every time, even when you are busy. That is exactly when mistakes happen. If you do not have 30 minutes for every new buyer, an assistant can do them for you in about a minute and show you what looks wrong.