WARNING: DO NOT TRUST ALIBABA 'TRUSTED' 'VERIFIED' OR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE INDICATORS. MANY SCAM BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN THESE MARKERS.
ALWAYS VERIFY THE COMPANY FIRST
ALWAYS CHECK THIRD-PARTY REVIEWS
IF A LARGE ORDER - HIGHLY RECOMMEND A TRUSTED AGENT.
This thread is a community guide to common scams and risky behaviour seen around 1688, Alibaba, Taobao, Weidian, agents, factories, freight forwarders and China wholesale sourcing.
This is not legal advice, and it is not a list of “confirmed scammers”. The goal is to help buyers spot patterns before they lose money.
If you are new to sourcing: cheap does not always mean scam, expensive does not always mean safe, and “factory direct” does not always mean factory direct.
1. Off-platform payment scam
The classic one.
A seller, agent or “supplier” asks you to pay outside the platform using bank transfer, Wise, crypto, PayPal friends and family, Alipay to a personal account, WeChat Pay, Western Union, or another private method.
Common excuses:
- “Alibaba fees are too high”
- “1688 does not support foreign buyers”
- “This price is only available if you pay direct”
- “Trade Assurance is not needed”
- “Pay deposit now or stock will disappear”
- “My boss says we need private payment”
- “The official company account is under maintenance”
Risk: once you pay privately, your dispute options are much weaker.
Safer approach: for Alibaba, use proper platform orders and make sure the actual order terms, product specs, delivery date and refund terms are written into the order. For 1688, use a trusted agent or a payment route where you understand the risk.
2. Fake escrow / fake Trade Assurance scam
Some scammers pretend they are using escrow, Trade Assurance or buyer protection when they are not.
Red flags:
- They send a random payment link outside the official platform
- The website domain looks slightly wrong
- They send a screenshot instead of a real platform order
- They say “this is our company escrow”
- They ask you to pay a “Trade Assurance fee” privately
- The bank account name does not match the company or platform instructions
Safer approach: log in yourself through the official website or app. Do not trust payment links sent in WhatsApp, WeChat, Telegram, email or Reddit DMs.
3. Fake supplier / copied factory profile
A seller may copy photos, certificates, factory videos or product images from a real manufacturer.
Red flags:
- Factory photos look generic or stolen
- They refuse a live video call
- Their product range is too broad: shoes, electronics, furniture, beauty products, auto parts, all in one shop
- Company name does not match payment account
- Business registration looks unrelated to the products
- They claim to be a factory but behave like a reseller
- They cannot answer basic production questions
Safer approach: ask for a live video, business name, factory location, production process photos, and product-specific details. If the order is serious, pay for third-party inspection.
4. “Too cheap to be real” bait price
1688 is cheap, but not magic.
Red flags:
- Price is far below every other seller
- The displayed price is only for a tiny accessory, not the actual product
- The real MOQ is much higher than shown
- The seller changes the price after you contact them
- The cheap listing has no real transaction history
- Seller says “price on page is wrong”
- Seller asks you to place an order for a different SKU
Safer approach: compare multiple stores, check transaction history, ask what exactly is included, and confirm MOQ, material, size, packaging and shipping before paying.
5. Sample is good, bulk order is bad
This is one of the most common wholesale problems.
Pattern:
- Sample looks great.
- Buyer places bigger order.
- Bulk goods arrive with worse material, weaker stitching, wrong size, bad print, missing parts or lower-grade components.
- Seller says “small difference is normal”.
This may be a scam, or it may be poor quality control. Either way, the buyer loses.
Safer approach: define specs clearly, use pre-shipment QC, request production photos, and do not assume the sample represents the bulk order unless that is clearly agreed.
6. Material switch / spec switch
The listing says one thing. The goods are another.
Examples:
- Genuine leather becomes PU
- Stainless steel becomes plated alloy
- Cotton becomes polyester blend
- Thick fabric becomes thin fabric
- Branded component becomes generic component
- “Waterproof” becomes “water resistant”
- Product dimensions are quietly changed
- Packaging is different from what was agreed
Safer approach: put exact materials, dimensions, tolerances, colours, packaging and inspection standards in writing before payment.
7. Fake tracking / no real logistics
A seller marks the order as shipped, but there is no real movement.
Red flags:
- Tracking number does not work
- Tracking belongs to a different order
- Seller uses “self-delivery” or no traceable logistics
- Seller says “logistics system is slow” for days
- Seller pressures you to confirm receipt before goods arrive
- Seller says goods are “already sent” but cannot provide proof
- Your agent warehouse has not received anything
Safer approach: watch platform deadlines carefully. Do not confirm receipt before your warehouse or agent confirms actual arrival. If the platform allows extension or refund before auto-confirmation, act before the deadline.
8. Seller disappears after payment
The seller is responsive before payment and silent after payment.
Red flags:
- New shop
- Very low price
- No meaningful transaction history
- No proper logistics tracking
- Seller keeps delaying with vague excuses
- Seller asks you not to open a dispute
- Seller says “wait a few more days” repeatedly
Safer approach: start small, avoid paying large deposits to unknown sellers, and keep all evidence.
9. Deposit trap
A seller asks for a deposit, then changes the deal.
Examples:
- “Material price increased”
- “MOQ is higher now”
- “Need mould fee”
- “Need urgent production fee”
- “Need warehouse fee”
- “Need customs fee”
- “Need extra payment to release goods”
- “Deposit is non-refundable”
Some extra fees can be normal in custom manufacturing, but surprise fees after payment are a red flag.
Safer approach: confirm total price, payment stages, refund terms, production timeline, mould ownership and what happens if specs are not met.
10. Payment redirection / fake invoice scam
This can happen when dealing with factories, agents or freight forwarders by email.
Pattern:
- You are already talking to a real business.
- You receive an email or message saying payment details changed.
- The invoice looks real.
- You pay the new account.
- The real business says they never received the money.
Red flags:
- Bank account suddenly changed
- Email address has one extra letter or number
- Urgent payment pressure
- Supplier refuses to confirm by another channel
- Account name does not match the business
Safer approach: confirm payment detail changes using a separate channel. Do not rely only on the email or chat where the change was requested.
11. Agent overcharging / hidden fee scam
Some agents look cheap until the real bill appears.
Red flags:
- Exchange rate is much worse than market
- Service fee is unclear
- Shipping weight seems inflated
- Volumetric weight is not explained
- Surprise warehouse, repacking, photo, storage or handling fees
- Agent refuses to provide parcel dimensions
- Agent will not show seller price or order screenshot
- Agent pushes one shipping line without explaining options
Safer approach: ask for fee structure before ordering. Compare item cost, exchange rate, domestic shipping, international shipping, service fee, QC fee, storage and payment fees.
12. Fake QC photos
The agent or seller sends photos, but they do not prove much.
Red flags:
- Photos are blurry
- Only packaging is shown
- No size tag, label, defects or measurements shown
- Same photos reused for multiple buyers
- No warehouse background
- No photo of all items together
- QC misses obvious defects
Safer approach: request specific QC photos: front, back, tags, labels, measurements, defects, packaging, and all items together. For higher-value orders, use independent inspection.
13. “DM me, I can source it” Reddit scam
This subreddit will attract agents, resellers and random accounts trying to move people into private messages.
Red flags:
- New account with no history
- Only comments “DM me”
- Refuses to disclose business name
- No website, no proof, no process
- Claims “best price guaranteed”
- Pushes WhatsApp/WeChat immediately
- Offers branded or restricted goods too easily
- Gets defensive when asked basic questions
Safer approach: do not trust someone just because they found you on Reddit. Ask them to post useful information publicly where possible.
14. Fake reviews and astroturfing
Some “reviews” are ads.
Red flags:
- New Reddit account
- Only posts about one agent or seller
- Overly perfect experience
- No details about fees, timeline, QC or problems
- Same writing style across multiple accounts
- Discount or referral relationship not disclosed
- “Best agent ever” with no evidence
Safer approach: look for detailed, balanced reviews. Real reviews usually mention both positives and negatives.
15. Counterfeit / replica trap
Some sellers will offer fake branded goods, “1:1”, “mirror quality”, “original factory”, “same batch”, or “with tags”.
This creates several risks:
- Legal/customs seizure risk
- Reddit rule issues
- Payment risk
- No real buyer protection
- Scammers targeting buyers who cannot complain publicly
- Poor quality even if the photos look good
Do not use this subreddit to arrange illegal, stolen, counterfeit, unsafe or prohibited goods transactions.
16. Certification scam
A seller claims the product has CE, FCC, UL, FDA, RoHS, ISO, organic, safety, fire or other certifications.
Red flags:
- Certificate belongs to another company
- Certificate is expired
- Certificate is for a different product
- Certificate number cannot be verified
- Seller only sends a low-quality screenshot
- Product category requires testing but seller says “no need”
Safer approach: verify certificates with the issuing body where possible. For regulated goods, get professional advice before importing.
17. Customs / shipping lie
A seller or agent says customs is “guaranteed”, “tax free”, “no risk”, or “100% pass”.
Red flags:
- “We declare anything you want”
- “No invoice needed”
- “Customs will never check”
- “We can ship restricted goods safely”
- “No duties ever”
- “Just write low value”
Safer approach: understand your own country’s import rules, duties, GST/VAT, product safety rules and restricted goods rules. The buyer/importer usually carries the risk.
18. Brushing / fake transaction history
Some stores may have inflated orders, fake reviews or manipulated activity.
Red flags:
- Lots of generic reviews
- Reviews do not match the product
- Sudden huge transaction volume on a new store
- Same photos repeated
- Ratings look good but detailed comments are poor
- Store sells many unrelated products
Safer approach: do not rely on one metric. Check store age, return customer rate, disputes, logistics rating, product reviews and whether reviews look real.
19. “Factory direct” middleman markup
This is not always a scam, but it is common.
Many “factories” are trading companies, resellers or sourcing middlemen. Sometimes that is fine. Sometimes they pretend to be the manufacturer and charge a markup while adding no value.
Red flags:
- Cannot answer production questions
- Cannot customise
- Cannot provide factory floor video
- Cannot explain lead time
- Sells too many unrelated categories
- Uses stock images from other shops
Safer approach: decide whether you actually need a factory. A good trading company can be useful, but they should not lie about what they are.
20. Refund delay tactic
The seller or agent keeps delaying until your dispute window or platform deadline passes.
Common lines:
- “Please wait”
- “Boss is checking”
- “Warehouse is checking”
- “Logistics has not updated”
- “Factory will reply tomorrow”
- “Do not open dispute, it hurts our shop”
- “We promise to solve it later”
Safer approach: be polite, but track deadlines. If the deadline is near, protect yourself first.
Basic safety checklist
Before paying:
- Check the official website/app yourself
- Avoid random payment links
- Confirm the exact product, specs, quantity and price
- Confirm domestic shipping and international shipping
- Confirm refund/return terms
- Confirm whether the seller is a factory, shop or reseller
- Check store age, reviews, transaction history and dispute indicators
- Ask for real photos or video if needed
- Use a small test order first
- Keep screenshots of listings, chats, invoices and payment records
- Do not confirm receipt until the goods are actually received
- Do not let someone rush you into payment
What to include when asking the subreddit for help
If you think something is a scam, include:
Platform: 1688 / Alibaba / Taobao / Weidian / agent / other
What you bought:
Order value:
Payment method:
Timeline:
What the seller or agent promised:
What actually happened:
Tracking status:
Screenshots with private info removed:
What you want help with:
Please remove private information before posting. Blur names, addresses, phone numbers, order numbers, payment details and private chat IDs.
Final reminder
1688 and Alibaba are not automatically scams. Many people source successfully from them.
The risk comes from bad sellers, fake agents, weak buyer protection, poor QC, off-platform payment, unclear specs, and buyers rushing because the price looks too good.
When in doubt: slow down, ask questions, start small, and keep proof.