Payment risk · PRACTICAL GUIDE
Chinese Supplier Changed Bank Account Before Payment
A last-minute account change is a serious control event. It may be genuine, an internal-authority problem or invoice fraud. Payment should pause until the instruction is independently verified.
Verify outside the changed message
Contact a previously verified representative using an established channel, not the telephone number or link contained in the new instruction. Confirm the exact beneficiary, bank, currency and reason for change.
Compare the beneficiary with the Chinese entity named in the contract. A personal, offshore or unrelated third-party account needs a documented legal and commercial explanation.
Create an auditable instruction
Require a formal written instruction from the contracting company and evidence of signatory authority. Where appropriate, use a signed and chopped amendment allocating receipt, refund and liability.
If payment has already been diverted, notify the banks immediately, preserve headers and messages, and coordinate legal and law-enforcement steps without waiting for the supplier’s internal investigation.
Initial document checklist
- Original and replacement payment instructions
- Verified company contact details
- Beneficiary identity
- Signed company confirmation
- Email headers and communication record