Five verification levels that separate real factories from trading companies and scams — with specific checks you can do before spending a dollar.
Most buyers who lose money to Chinese suppliers don't lose it to outright fraud. They lose it to factories that look legitimate, communicate well, and simply cannot deliver what they promised. The problem isn't detecting scams — it's detecting mismatches between what a factory claims and what they actually do.
Factory verification has five levels. Most buyers stop at level one. This guide walks through all five, with specific checks you can run from your desk before wiring any money.
The five levels of factory verification
Level 1 — Document verification (30 minutes, free)
