1. Define the decision and the loss you are trying to prevent
Write down the transaction amount, payment terms, product, counterparty, and the claim that matters most. This determines whether you need a basic entity check, supplier verification, legal review, or an on-site audit.
2. Resolve the legal entity and ownership
Match the Chinese legal name and 18-character USCC to the current registration record. Review status, address, legal representative, shareholders, related companies, and material changes. An English brand alone is not a reliable identifier.
- Compare the contract party with the registered entity
- Check whether ownership figures use the same date and capital basis
- Treat unexplained related companies as a question, not automatically a risk
3. Test operating claims and legal signals
Compare the registered business scope with the product and claimed role. Look for corroborating operating evidence such as relevant licences, patents, tenders, websites, and export or factory information where available. Group related court records before interpreting their significance.
4. Verify the transaction path before payment
Confirm that the salesperson, email domain, contract, invoice issuer, and bank beneficiary connect to the reviewed company. A real company can still be impersonated, and a valid registration does not authorize every payment instruction.