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How to identify whether import agency companies on the market are formal, reliable, legal and compliant business operators?
or complex compliance issues.
clearance and fund security.
I am the head of a small and micro enterprise in Shanghai that has just entered the imported cosmetics business. Last month, I found an import agency company through online advertisements, which claimed to provide all-inclusive customs clearance and tax payment services with costs 30% lower than the market price. After paying 50% of the advance payment, the contact person of the other party often lost contact.
When I finally got in touch, he prevaricated that the documents were under customs review, but I could not find the customs clearance information of my goods through the Single Window, and even the bill of lading number provided by the other party was invalid. Now I am afraid of losing both money and goods, and also worried about missing the sales peak before Double 11.
I have heard from peers before that fake agencies run away with funds and forge qualifications. I am so anxious that I cannot sleep now. How can I judge whether these import agency companies are real? Are there reliable and fast verification methods for me to screen and avoid similar pitfalls again?
Eric ZhouYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat
Many enterprises are prone to fall into the industry misunderstanding of "ultra-low cost，all-inclusive service"，and such publicity is often a bait used by fake agencies to attract customers. They usually do not have formal import and export operation rights，and are even not filed with the customs.
Once such fake agencies are selected，the minor consequence is cargo detention at the port，incurring thousands of port detention fees and container detention fees per day，and the serious consequence is customs seizure of goods. Enterprises not only have to pay high taxes and fines，but also leave bad credit records，affecting all subsequent import business，and even miss the sales peak season，leading to inventory backlog and capital chain rupture.
Physical risk isolation measures should be started from three points: First，query the filing qualification and credit rating of the agency through the "Import and Export Enterprise Credit Information Publicity Platform" of the General Administration of Customs，Second，conduct on-site inspection of the agency's office space and operation team，Third，require to provide customs clearance and release certificates for goods of the same category in the past six months.
Exclusive stop-loss tips: Adopt a phased payment mode during cooperation，the advance payment ratio shall not exceed 10%，and require the agency to endorse the ocean bill of lading to the name of the enterprise itself to ensure that the cargo ownership is always in your own hands. If any abnormality is found，you can contact the freight forwarder to transship or recall the goods at the first time.
Victor SunYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Risk Control ManagerStart a Chat
To check the customs declaration qualification of an import agency company, you can enter the unified social credit code of the agency company through the "Customs Declaration Unit Registration Information Query" system of the General Administration of Customs, to check whether it has the customs declaration registration certificate for import and export goods consignors and consignees, and check its customs declaration error rate in the past 3 years and whether it has been punished by the customs for illegal customs declaration.
If the agency company cannot provide the 10-digit customs declaration code, or the subject corresponding to the code is inconsistent with its publicity, it is probably a fake institution. In addition, the customs declaration form of a formal agency will have a unified electronic port signature, and you can verify the authenticity of the customs declaration form through the "Customs Declaration Query" module of the Single Window, so as to avoid fake agencies forging customs declaration documents to defraud fees.
Daniel XuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Director of Import & Export OperationsStart a Chat
To verify the authenticity of the logistics service of an import agency company, you can require it to provide the qualification certificate of its cooperative international freight forwarder, ocean manifest records of the past 3 months, and yard delivery vouchers after the goods arrive at the port. If the agency company refuses to provide them on the grounds of "confidentiality", or the provided manifest information cannot be found on the official website of the shipping company, you should be highly vigilant.
In addition, formal agencies will sign a clear cargo ownership agreement with enterprises, and can directly transfer the cargo ownership to the enterprise after the goods arrive at the port, while fake agencies usually detain the bill of lading for various reasons, or require enterprises to pay additional fees before delivering the cargo ownership. To avoid such situations, the time node and trigger conditions for cargo ownership transfer can be agreed in advance.
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat
To verify the authenticity of the tax service of an import agency company, you can require it to provide VAT special invoice issuance records of the past six months, as well as tax declaration vouchers for its import agency business, and verify the authenticity of these vouchers through the electronic tax bureau. If the agency company promises "tax inclusive but no formal invoice", or claims that it can avoid import tariffs through "gray channels", it is false publicity, which will lead to enterprises facing tax inspection risks.
Formal agencies will accurately calculate taxes according to the HS code of the goods, and provide complete tax vouchers. Enterprises can judge the authenticity of their tax services by comparing the customs dutiable value with the agency's quotation, and require the agency to assist in handling VAT deferred declaration to reduce capital pressure.
Linda GaoYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Documentation SupervisorStart a Chat
To verify the compliance of cross-border receipt and payment of foreign exchange of an import agency company, you can require it to provide cross-border receipt and payment vouchers handled through CIPS or SWIFT systems, check whether the transaction subject in the voucher is consistent with the agency company, and whether the transaction purpose is marked as "payment for imported goods". Fake agencies usually require enterprises to transfer funds to private accounts, or use third-party accounts for collection on the grounds of "collection and payment on behalf", which violates foreign exchange management regulations and will lead to enterprises facing penalties from the foreign exchange administration.
Formal agencies will use their own corporate accounts to handle foreign exchange receipt and payment, and provide corresponding foreign exchange verification vouchers. Enterprises can verify the authenticity of receipt and payment records through the "Cross-border Business Blockchain Service Platform" of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.
Kevin LinYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat
To judge the legitimacy of an import agency company, you can require it to provide scanned copies of original qualification documents such as business license, import and export operation right certificate, customs filing certificate, etc., and query through the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System to see whether its business scope includes "goods import and export" or "technology import and export", and whether there are business abnormalities or administrative penalty records.
In addition, formal agencies will sign a standardized "Import Agency Contract" with enterprises, clarifying the rights and obligations of both parties, cargo ownership, liability for breach of contract and other clauses, while the contracts of fake agencies usually have vague clauses, and even set "unfair clauses" to restrict the rights of enterprises. Enterprises can ask lawyers to review the contract content to avoid falling into legal traps.
Cindy ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Key Account ManagerStart a Chat
To verify the on-site inspection handling capability of an import agency company, you can require it to provide documents such as customs inspection notices, container unpacking records, test reports, etc. in the past 3 months, and check whether the customs signatures and seals on these documents are true and valid. Fake agencies usually cannot provide such on-site operation vouchers, or the provided vouchers are inconsistent with the actual cargo information.
In addition, formal agencies will inform enterprises of the inspection process and precautions in advance before cargo inspection, and arrange professional on-site personnel to cooperate with customs inspection to reduce inspection risks. If the agency company knows nothing about the inspection process, or promises "100% no inspection", it is false publicity and you should be vigilant.