Real traps. Real evidence. Practical guides.
Study actual fraud cases we have uncovered, get answers to the questions buyers ask most often, and keep up with the latest sourcing intelligence.
Case studies from the field
Documented supplier fraud and near-misses, reconstructed from official records and the evidence trail.
Case Study: The "Brand-New" Promise and the $140,000 Used Machine Trap
Read article →Case study:The "Industry Habit" Excuse: What a $270K Cross-Border Subcontracting Dispute Teaches Global Buyers About China Sourcing
A SHIAC apparel-sourcing dispute ($269,896, SG2015031) shows why "industry habit" is no defense when a Chinese exporter quietly subcontracts your order — and which contract clauses and pre-shipment checks actually protect buyers.
Read article →Case Study:The Silent Supply Chain Killer: How a Vendor's Local Tax Evasion Can Wipe Out Your Deposit
A Shanghai Pudong ruling (2020-Hu-0115-Min-Chu-1002) shows how a supplier’s domestic tax non-compliance froze a $28 million copper deal — and why buyers must verify invoicing and tax status before wiring deposits.
Read article →The $1M Solar Trap: How Vendors Use "Simple Deregistration" to Erase Corporate Debt Overnight
After a $1M solar-panel order arrived two-thirds short and defective, the Shijiazhuang seller vanished via China’s Simple Deregistration fast track. How the loophole works — and the registry checks that catch it before payment.
Read article →Case Study: The $411,000 Lesson in Supply Chain Fraud
How a Syrian aluminum buyer lost $411,480 to Shanghai Shuobao, a zero-paid-in shell run by a professional strawman — and the equity and beneficial-ownership checks in the Truve Index that would have flagged it first.
Read article →Case Study: The "Silent PO" Trap—Why Habitual Practice Won't Save You in a China Supply Chain Dispute
A Singapore–Tianjin dispute shows years of informal email-and-fax purchase orders will not hold up in a Chinese court. The contract formalities every repeat buyer needs before a dispute arises.
Read article →Case Study: The "Golden Cicada" Shell Game and a €1.2 Million EU Sourcing Trap
A German buyer wired €1.2M to a Hangzhou manufacturer that never shipped — then watched the owners strip the entity via the "Golden Cicada" shell game. How shareholder and asset-transfer screening exposes the scheme.
Read article →Case Study: The "Phantom Rep" and the $70,000 Forged Chop Trap
A fake sales rep with a forged corporate seal diverted $70,000 of building materials meant for Indonesia. How chop forgery works in China, and the verification steps that confirm you are really contracting with the factory.
Read article →High-frequency questions
Short, practical answers to the questions buyers ask before sending money to China.
Company news & industry intelligence
Product updates, compliance notes and field reports from verifying Chinese suppliers.
Shell Companies Don't Only Hurt Customs — They Eat Buyer Deposits Too
Read article →Case study:The High Price of 'No-Show' Suppliers: What the Cricut 337 USITC Case Teaches Global Buyers About IP Liability
The USITC Cricut Section 337 case (337-TA-1426) shows how a Chinese supplier’s patent infringement can get your inventory seized at the U.S. border — and the IP warranties and verification steps buyers need before ordering.
Read article →
The Ultimate China Sourcing Calendar 2026: Navigating Mega Expos and Vertical Trade Fairs for Global Buyers
Truve’s 2026 China trade-fair calendar for global procurement teams: Canton Fair and mega-expo dates, the vertical shows worth traveling for, and how to screen real factories on the ground.
Read article →Decoding China’s Port Landscape (Jan–Aug 2026): Macro Shifts, Commodity Divergence, and Next-Gen Export Trends
China’s ports diverged in the first eight months of 2026: containerized high-value exports stayed resilient while bulk commodities slowed — and what throughput data means for port choice, landed cost and customs risk.
Read article →China Bulk Commodity Price Monitor (Mid-September 2026): Upstream Cost Shifts & Supplier Volatility Risks
Mid-September 2026 monitor across 50 Chinese commodities: chemicals and energy surged (glacial acetic acid +17.4%) while construction metals softened — what the divergence means for supplier quotes and cost volatility.
Read article →Market Analysis Report on the Containerized Freight Index (Europe Route) – September 2026
September 2026 Europe-route container freight: SCFIS at 2,610.55 (−10.2% week-on-week) as off-season correction collides with Middle East and Red Sea risk — what the swing means for shipment planning.
Read article →Copper just crossed a line that will show up in your next round of quotes.
LME copper at $14,664/t, a four-year-high Yangshan premium and negative treatment charges signal a Q4 physical squeeze. Expect higher quotes on cables, motors and anything with a PCB.
Read article →China's "new three" sectors are returning to a normal tax regime
From 1 September 2026 Chinese batteries carry a 2% consumption tax and export VAT rebates keep shrinking, while solar rebates ended in April. What the end of the "new three" tax holidays means for landed costs.
Read article →Silicon wafers just took their first across
12-inch wafer prices rose 10%+ in the first broad hike since 2023, AI/HPC-grade wafers are up 18–22%, and lead times stretch past 2027. What the second wave of increases means for electronics buyers.
Read article →Copper is about to do something it hasn't done in a decade — break $15,000
LME copper’s 11th weekly gain in 12 puts $15,000/t in sight. The EV, grid and AI-driven shift behind the rally — and why supplier quotes for copper-heavy components are already stale.
Read article →Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono expressed optimism
Cilegon, Banten (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono expressed optimism that Indonesia will meet its international commitments to eliminate mercury by 2030 and manage toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by 2028.
Read article →US Customs tightens origin tracing for electronics and EV components shipped from South China
Stricter U.S. Customs documentation checks target electronics and EV-component exporters in South China.
Read article →EU's new ESG compliance mandates take effect: What cross-border importers need to know
New EU ESG compliance requirements affect cross-border importers sourcing from outside the bloc.
Read article →Q2 2026 Report: 15% increase in rerouted manufacturing shipments via Southeast Asia
Q2 2026 data shows a 15% rise in manufacturing shipments rerouted through Southeast Asia.
Read article →Updated OFAC lists flag additional raw material suppliers in the global supply chain
Recent OFAC SDN list updates name additional raw-material traders relevant to global supply chains.
Read article →