Why the deposit is the danger point
Most losses in Africa trade happen at the deposit. A supplier looks legitimate over email, sends convincing documents, asks for 30% upfront — and then goes quiet. By the time you realise, the money has moved through several accounts and is gone.
The fix is not more emails. It is independent confirmation, on the ground, before you transfer anything.
1. Confirm the legal entity exists
Every serious exporter is a registered company. Ask for the registration number and check it against the national registry — in Ghana, the Registrar-General's Department. Confirm the company is active, and that the directors and address match what the supplier told you.
2. Verify the export license
Selling domestically and exporting are different permissions. Confirm the supplier actually holds a valid export license for the product, plus any product-specific certification (phytosanitary, organic, fair-trade) they claim.
3. Put eyes on the site
A photo proves nothing — it can be lifted from anywhere. A dated visit, video walk-through or third-party audit of the warehouse and processing line proves the operation is real and has the capacity claimed.
4. Call references and trade history
Ask for prior buyers and actually call them. A supplier who has shipped internationally before will have a paper trail — bills of lading, past invoices — that a first-time fraudster cannot fabricate on demand.
5. Get a written risk rating
Pull it together into a decision-ready view: what checked out, what didn't, and a clear recommendation. That is exactly the deliverable of a verification report — and it is far cheaper than a lost deposit.
Put this into practice
Have us verify a supplier or source for you — flat fee, 48-hour reply.
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