A U.S. client was prepared to order specialized equipment from a company they found online. The website looked professional, the catalog was detailed, and the customer service responded quickly. The company offered a small “first-order discount,” but only if the payment was made in advance.
The client liked the deal but wanted to make sure the business was legitimate before sending money, so they contacted us.
The client asked us to verify whether the company existed as a real operating business and whether its online representation matched reality.
We examined publicly available information, including state business registrations, corporate filings, domain history, logistics footprints, supplier relationships, customer traceability, civil disputes, and digital infrastructure. We also checked whether other buyers had reported similar situations. No intrusive or unlawful methods were used.
Here is what we were able to confirm. The company’s domain was registered only recently, and its content matched templates used by unrelated websites selling different products. The corporate entity listed on the site did not appear in state records, and the address used in the footer belonged to a mailbox rental service. Customer reviews were generic and appeared across multiple disconnected product categories. There was no trace of shipments, fulfillment, or long-term clients.
Taken together, the findings suggested that the business had no operational footprint and that the website was constructed to simulate a functioning supplier.
After reviewing our findings, the client decided not to proceed with the order and avoided a situation that could have resulted in financial loss and prolonged disputes.
Personal and identifying information has been removed to protect privacy.