It is the great fear of every small business trading abroad: paying and receiving nothing. Here are the checks to make before every payment. They take a few minutes and prevent most scams.
Before paying: 8 checks
- The company exists in the official register of its country, and it is active (our country-by-country guide).
- The bank account is in the exact name of this company. Never a personal account, never the account of another company.
- The same name everywhere: register, contract, invoice, bank details (and, in China, the official seal).
- A change of bank details announced by e-mail? Always check by phone, on the number you already knew, never the one written in the e-mail.
- A reasonable deposit, and the balance on a written date. For a first deal, start with samples or a small order.
- A written contract: product, quantity, price, delivery time, Incoterm, and the language that prevails.
- Compare the price of the item and the total before confirming, and keep a screenshot (the reflex before paying).
- Urgency, secrecy, a new account, a price that is too low: these are the usual signs of a scam (protecting yourself from scams).
An international transfer can almost never be recovered. Make the checks before, not after.
Beware of small amounts
Many scams start small:
- A first order that goes well, to win your trust… then a large order paid in advance that never arrives. Make the checks for every payment, even with a supplier who has already delivered to you.
- A small unknown debit (1 or 2 €) on your account: it is often a test to check that the card works. Report it to your bank straight away, without waiting for a bigger debit.
- "Small fees" requested to release a parcel, a payment or a file: a real service does not ask for money through a link received in a message.
For a large order
Ask your bank about a documentary credit: the buyer’s bank pays only if the documents provided for in the contract (invoice, transport documents…) are presented. It has a cost, but it protects both sides.
Good to know: paying a company in Vietnam
The European Union keeps a list of “high-risk third countries”: countries whose system for fighting money laundering and terrorist financing has significant weaknesses. Vietnam has been on it since 18 October 2023. China and Thailand are not on it (list checked on 2 November 2026).
This is not a ban on trade. However, European banks must carry out enhanced checks on these payments. Your bank may therefore:
- ask you more questions: about your company, the reason for the payment and where the money comes from;
- in some cases, limit these payments: the European rules also provide for this.
Our advice: before a first payment, ask your bank what it will want to see. Keep the contract and the invoice at hand, and allow some extra time in your schedule.
See also our Vietnam page.
For information only, up to date on 2 November 2026: this information does not engage the liability of Passerelle France-Asie and does not replace your bank’s advice; only the official texts are authoritative. Sources: European Commission, list of high-risk third countries; Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2070 (addition of Viet Nam); Directive (EU) 2018/843, Article 18a (enhanced checks).
If you have already paid and have a doubt
- Call your bank at once: the faster you are, the better the chance of stopping the transfer.
- Keep all the evidence: e-mails, invoices, screenshots.
- In France, get help from 17Cyber, the public service for victims of cyber-malice, then file a complaint; elsewhere, contact your bank and your country’s police.
A login code is never given out, even to “unblock” or “confirm” a payment: see the right habits in our prevention guide (Site security, part 4).