How to check if a bill of lading is real
Check a bill of lading with the shipping line that issued it: confirm the B/L number, shipper, consignee, cargo, vessel and dates through the carrier's official website or office. Then check the container numbers and the vessel's IMO number, and that the dates and ports make sense.
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A bill of lading is the document that gives control of the cargo. Copies are easy to make, so a B/L is only as good as the carrier's confirmation. Never rely on the phone number or e-mail printed on the document itself.
5 steps
- Identify the carrier. Find the shipping line named on the B/L and go to its official website yourself.
- Confirm the B/L with the carrier. Ask the carrier, through its official channel, to confirm the B/L number, shipper, consignee, cargo and vessel.
- Check the container numbers. Every container number has an ISO 6346 check digit. Track each container on the carrier's site and check the dates and ports.
- Check the vessel. The IMO number has a check digit. Confirm the vessel's name, flag and owner on Equasis (free).
- Check dates and ports. The loading date, ports and vessel route must make sense together, and match the contract and the inspection certificate.
Red flags
- Payment against a copy or draft of the B/L
- A carrier e-mail on a free webmail address
- A container number that fails its check digit
- An IMO number that fails its check digit
- Dates that do not match the vessel's route
- The same B/L number used for different cargoes
Documents to ask for
- A copy of the B/L, front and back. With the B/L number, shipper, consignee, notify party, vessel and voyage.
- Container numbers and seal numbers. Each checked on the carrier's official tracking.
- Inspection certificate for the same cargo. The quantity, dates and ports must match the B/L.
- Commercial invoice and packing list. Same parties, goods and quantities as the B/L.
What a sound deal looks like
A sound shipment has a B/L that the carrier confirms through its official channel, container numbers that pass the ISO 6346 check digit and track to the same ports and dates, and a vessel whose IMO number and route fit the voyage. The B/L, the inspection certificate, the invoice and the packing list tell the same story. Payment against an original B/L, or through an LC that asks for the original, gives you control of the cargo; payment against a scan does not. If the documents arrive only as photos or the carrier cannot find the B/L number, stop before you pay.
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FAQ
Can I confirm a B/L online?
Many carriers offer tracking and B/L checks on their official sites. Confirm through the carrier, not through contacts on the document.
What does the IMO check tell me?
A valid IMO number has a correct check digit. It shows the number format is valid, not that the ship carried your cargo.
Is an electronic B/L safer?
eB/Ls on recognised platforms reduce copying risk, but you still confirm the parties and the cargo.
Does the free basic check read B/Ls?
Paste the text and it checks the wording, IMO numbers and seller domains. The Deal Check (USD 8.88) runs document forensics on the B/L and up to 4 other documents.
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General information, not legal or financial advice. Vanguard Trade Capital Goods Wholesalers DWC-LLC, Dubai South, UAE · [email protected]