International goods procurement fraud case
Case Overview:
Mr. Li, a client, found a supplier claiming to be a wholesaler on an international trading platform and entered into a purchase agreement. The supplier provided detailed product information and a price quote, promising immediate shipment upon receipt of an advance payment. Mr. Li paid the 30% advance payment (US$100,000) as agreed. However, after payment, neither the supplier nor the platform could be contacted, and the order remained unfulfilled. Mr. Li attempted to contact both the supplier and the platform through various channels but received no response.
Legal Response:
Consultation and Evidence Collection:
Upon discovering he had been defrauded, Mr. Li immediately contacted Financial Legal Aid. The legal team conducted a preliminary discussion with Mr. Li to understand the details of his transaction. Mr. Li provided all relevant emails, order confirmations, payment receipts, and communication records with the supplier. After analysis, the lawyers determined that the platform was likely a disguised scam website and decided to conduct an in-depth investigation. The legal team emphasized that the key to this case was uncovering the true identity of the supplier and verifying the platform's legal registration background. Supplier and Platform Background Investigation: The Financial Legal Aid team began a thorough background investigation of the platform and supplier. Through due diligence, the attorneys discovered that the supplier was not registered with the International Chamber of Commerce and lacked any relevant business licenses or valid company information. The company details provided by the supplier were incomplete, and the website showed clear signs of fabrication. Furthermore, the platform's functional variable names and registration information were anonymous, highly consistent with numerous similar fraud cases. Financial Legal Aid further investigated the whereabouts of Mr. Li's payment and discovered that the funds had been transferred to multiple overseas accounts and rapidly dissipated. The legal team realized that the funds may have been transferred to accounts in various countries, complicating tracing. Cross-border Recovery and Litigation Preparation: Financial Legal Aid further investigated the whereabouts of Mr. Li's payment and discovered that the funds had been transferred to multiple overseas accounts and rapidly dissipated. The legal team realized that the funds may have been transferred to accounts in multiple countries, complicating tracing. The lawyers also updated Mr. Li on the progress of the case, explained the complexities of cross-border recovery, and helped him assess the legal procedures and risks in different jurisdictions. Legal Proceedings and Litigation Enforcement: The Financial Legal Aid team filed a lawsuit through international courts, demanding the return of Mr. Li's funds from the platform and the vendor. Throughout the litigation process, Financial Legal Aid maintained communication with law enforcement agencies in multiple countries to ensure the smooth progress of the case. The lawyers also advised Mr. Li to file a lawsuit with his country's consumer protection agency and assisted him in preparing relevant legal materials to strengthen his legal position. The lawyers successfully traced some of the funds and provided Mr. Li with updates on the case. After months of litigation and investigation, the company successfully recovered some of its losses, totaling approximately US$50,000, through international judicial cooperation.Case Outcome:
Although Mr. Li was unable to recover all his funds, Financial Legal Aid successfully recovered $50,000 in losses through their tireless efforts. By tracking the platform's functional variables and fund flows, they uncovered some information about the fraud ring. This case further led to the closure of the platform by regulators in multiple countries and the blacklisting of several members of the fraud ring.
