Supplier Deposit Risk Calculator
Enter your order details to see the money at risk, a 0–100 risk score and what to verify before you wire a deposit to a Chinese supplier.
A safer payment structure for machinery
- 30% deposit to the licensed company account after the license is verified.
- Balance after FAT — use our FAT checklist generator to define pass/fail criteria in the contract.
- Factory audit for first orders over ~$10,000 — see the audit cost estimator.
Related: 12 Alibaba supplier red flags before you pay a deposit.
About to pay a deposit? Get a second pair of eyes.
Our $99 Manual Evidence Review checks that the license, quotation/PI and bank beneficiary all point to the same company — before money moves.
Frequently asked questions
How much deposit is normal for Chinese machinery?
For standard machinery, 30% deposit by T/T and 70% before shipment is the common norm, ideally with the balance released only after a factory acceptance test (FAT) or pre-shipment inspection. Requests for 50–100% upfront from a new supplier are a warning sign.
Is it safe to pay a Chinese supplier by bank transfer?
A T/T wire is normal, but it is hard to recall once received. Make sure the beneficiary is the same legal entity as the business license, never a personal account, and keep the deposit proportionate to what you have verified.
What if the supplier asks me to pay a different company or a personal account?
Stop. A changed or mismatched beneficiary is the most common pattern in deposit fraud, including email-hijacking scams where criminals send “updated bank details”. Confirm by phone or video using contact details you already trust.
Is Alibaba Trade Assurance safer than a wire?
It adds a dispute process and is generally safer than an unprotected wire, but protection depends on the order terms you set inside Trade Assurance. Off-platform payments are not covered.
How accurate is this calculator?
It is a heuristic model built on common fraud patterns, not an underwriting tool. Use it to spot gaps, then close them with evidence.
More free supplier verification tools
Results are educational estimates based on the information you enter and publicly documented standards. They are not a guarantee of any supplier's legitimacy. See our disclaimer.