Is this ICUMSA 45 / commodity offer real? 7 checks

ICUMSA 45 sugar is one of the most copied offers in commodity trade. The same "full corporate offers" appear in many groups at once, often from sellers who have never loaded a ship. Diesel, soybean, edible oils, cement and urea attract the same kind of offer. Before you spend time, send documents or pay anyone, run these seven checks. Each one takes minutes, and together they help you spot many fake offers early.

1. Is the seller a real company with a licence and a website?

Look up the company in the official company register of its country. Check that the registration number, address and directors match the offer. Ask for its trade or export licence and check that the activity matches the product. A real exporter usually has a working website that is more than a few months old, and an email address on that website's domain, not a free email account.

A company that cannot be found in its own country's register, or that was registered last month, is a reason to stop.

2. Is the price realistic for the market?

Compare the offer with current market prices from public sources for the same product, grade, quantity and delivery terms. Fake offers are often priced well below the market to create excitement, or they quote a price that does not match the Incoterm (for example a CIF price that would not even cover the freight). If a deal is far cheaper than everyone else's, ask why. Usually there is no good answer.

3. Is there a real FCO from the producer?

A full corporate offer (FCO) should come from the producer or a seller who can show a clear right to sell the product. Check that the FCO names the producer, that the producer exists and actually makes this product, and that the specification, quantity and loading port make sense for that producer. Many fake FCOs are copied from older offers with the names changed, and the same wording appears in dozens of unrelated offers.

4. Do they ask for an advance payment?

Requests for money before you receive anything are the most common way buyers lose money. Watch for "document fees", "registration fees", "export permit fees", "inspection deposits" or a percentage paid upfront to "secure the allocation". In a normal deal, payment runs through a letter of credit or another secure method against shipping documents. Money that moves before proof is money you may not see again.

5. Is the stock shown with a real inspection?

Ask where the goods are now and how you can see them. A genuine seller can arrange an inspection by an independent inspection company that you appoint and pay, at the warehouse, tank or port. Be careful with inspection reports supplied by the seller: they can be old, edited or copied from another cargo. A seller who refuses an inspection you control, or who only offers photos and videos, has not shown you anything.

6. Is the contract chain clear?

Many offers come through a long chain of brokers and "mandates". Ask who the seller is, who the buyer is, and who is signing the contract. Ask each intermediary what authority they hold and whether they have a signed mandate from the party they say they represent. If nobody can tell you who actually owns the goods, or the seller's name changes between documents, the chain is not clear and the deal is not ready.

7. Are you being rushed?

"The ship is waiting", "the price is valid only today", "the allocation goes to another buyer tonight". Real commodity deals are slow because banks, inspectors and lawyers take time. Pressure is a tool to stop you checking. If you are told there is no time for checks, take that as a reason to make time.

What to do if the offer fails a check

Do not send your LOI, ICPO, company documents or any payment. Ask for the missing proof in writing and see whether it arrives. A genuine seller can answer these questions; a fake one usually disappears or starts adding pressure. Keep a copy of everything you received, because the same documents often come back in later offers under a different name.

A quick summary

• Real company, real licence, real website and email.
• A price close to the market for the same terms.
• An FCO that traces back to a real producer.
• No advance payments.
• Stock shown through an inspection you control.
• A clear contract chain with signed mandates.
• No artificial deadlines.

A document check can quickly spot copied offers, scam wording and documents already reported as fake. It is a fast first filter, not a final answer. Treat any offer that fails it with extra care.