Warning signs before you pay

What to check

1. The part number returns exactly one supplier

   A genuine industrial part normally appears in catalogues, distributor listings and technical discussions.

   Verify this

   Search the exact code in quotation marks and compare several sources.

2. A large company writes from a free e-mail address

   Procurement teams normally contact suppliers from the company's own domain. Check the From, Reply-To and Return-Path addresses.

   Verify this

   Confirm the e-mail domain belongs to the company on its official website.

3. The reply address uses a lookalike domain

   One extra word, a city name or a single changed letter is enough to redirect the conversation to a fraudster.

   Verify this

   Compare every character against the company's official website.

Show more warning signs

4. The supplier wants payment before shipping

   Advance payment to a supplier you found only through the buyer's enquiry is how the money leaves.

   Verify this

   Ask for terms, an escrow arrangement or a trade reference you can call.

5. The supplier's domain is young, or recently changed hands

   A manufacturer claiming decades of history from a domain registered last spring is telling you something.

   Verify this

   Look the domain up in the registry — a registration date takes thirty seconds.

6. There is no company registration number

   Registered companies in most of Europe must publish a registration number and a registered address.

   Verify this

   Check the number against the national register rather than trusting the footer.