Supplier verification checklist before you wire a deposit

Most sourcing losses start with a thin website and a rushed wire. Supplier verification is not a credit report — it is a fast public-source screen so you know what to ask for before money moves.

1. Confirm the domain is real and old enough

Check WHOIS / RDAP creation date, registrar, and DNS. A factory claiming ten years of exports on a six-month domain is a classic mismatch. Also compare the homepage brand to the copyright line and footer legal name.

2. Match legal identity to the website

Look for company numbers, VAT/ABN, LEI, or registry filings that align with the claimed country. If the site sells as “Acme Industrial” but copyright says a different shell, pause and request a business license.

3. Seek trade and reputation corroboration

US ocean BOL lanes (ImportYeti-style data), news, and review sites will not always fire — especially for EU/air freight — but empty trade plus a high-ticket ask is a reason to demand references and a trial order.

4. Sanity-check the facility address

Map the claimed plant. Residential or virtual-office geocodes are not proof of fraud, but they are a reason to request a video walkthrough or third-party inspection before a large deposit.

5. Use a dossier, then collect primary documents

Tools like SupplierProof compress WHOIS, registry, geo, trade search, and OSINT into a trust score and red-flag list. Treat that as a screen — then collect licenses, bank beneficiary names, and a small PO before scaling.