Pre-Shipment Check List
Know Who You Are Really Doing Business With
AME Trade Assurance — Field Reference
The Pre‑Shipment
Risk Checklist
20 questions to ask before you wire money, sign a contract, or ship goods across a border.
Doc. Ref: AME‑PSC‑01 Issued: Trade Assurance Division
Every year, companies lose millions of dollars to fraudulent counterparties, fake factories, payment diversion, and manipulated trade documents. Most of it is preventable. Work through this checklist before your next cross-border transaction.
1 Know Who You're Dealing With
- Independently verified the supplier/buyer's business registration — not just the documents they sent you
- Confirmed the beneficial owner behind the company
- Checked the company against sanctions and regulatory watchlists
- Verified their financial stability, not just their sales pitch
- Searched for independent reviews, complaints, or litigation history
2 Know What You're Buying
- Verified the factory's production capacity on-site — not only claimed
- Confirmed the manufacturing process matches your required volume
- Matched product specifications, in writing, against samples
- Confirmed an active quality management system — not just a certificate on the wall
3 Know What You're Signing
- Reviewed your contract for enforceability in the relevant jurisdiction
- Checked your Letter of Credit for discrepancies before it's issued
- Clearly defined payment terms and Incoterms, understood by both sides
- Matched trade finance documents to your actual commercial agreement
4 Know Your Risks
- Assessed country-specific risk — political, currency, legal
- Mapped the supply chain for vulnerabilities beyond your direct supplier
- Reviewed import/export compliance requirements for both sides
- Built a logistics and shipping strategy that accounts for delay or disruption
5 Before You Pay or Ship
- Monitored production — not just promised — during manufacturing
- Inspected the shipment before it left the factory
- Independently verified container loading and seal integrity
- Checked final shipping documents against the L/C or contract
Score Yourself
18–20 Strong diligence. Keep it up.
12–17 Meaningful gaps. One missed issue can still cost you.
< 12 Exposed. Most trade fraud hides in exactly these blind spots.
UNVERIFIEDUNTIL
CHECKED
CHECKED
Fraud rarely announces itself.
It looks like a slightly-too-good price, a supplier who's "too busy" for a video call, or an L/C clause nobody double-checked. By the time the red flags are obvious, the money has usually already moved.
Not sure how to check these boxes yourself?
That's what Trade Assurance is for — an independent assessment before your money moves or your goods ship.
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Contact us to discuss your Trade Assurance Needs.