Fake foreign buyer on IndiaMART offers a big export contract, then demands ISO certification fees
A caller posing as a foreign procurement executive contacts traders via IndiaMART or TradeIndia, offers a large export order, then demands payment for ISO certifications or 'FEMA compliance' before the advance payment can be released. No money is ever sent.
Also known as: fake export contract scam, IndiaMART foreign buyer scam, ISO certification fraud India, fake purchase order export scam
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
Call 1930 now- 1 Call 1930 — the national cyber-crime helpline — right now. The sooner you report, the better the chance of freezing the money before it moves.
- 2 Call your bank to freeze the account and block the card immediately. Use the number printed on your card, never a number from the message or caller.
- 3 File a report at cybercrime.gov.in and keep every message, screenshot, and transaction ID.
What to do right now
- 1 Never pay certification or compliance fees demanded by a buyer before releasing an advance payment — real export contracts do not work this way
- 2 Independently verify the buyer's company through official channels (Companies House UK, UAE business registry, etc.) before engaging
- 3 Request the buyer to use IndiaMART's Trade Assurance or Alibaba's verified-buyer channel so payments are protected
- 4 Do not share banking details, GSTIN, or sensitive business documents with unverified contacts
- 5 If you have already paid fees, contact your bank immediately to dispute the transfer and call 1930
- 6 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).
Red flags
- ⚠ Unsolicited call from a 'foreign buyer' who found you on IndiaMART or TradeIndia — real international buyers contact through the platform's messaging system, not direct calls
- ⚠ The purchase order is sent via WhatsApp or email with a generic-looking letterhead — real B2B contracts involve verified company details and independent due-diligence
- ⚠ You are asked to pay for ISO certification, FEMA compliance, or 'international trade clearance' before the advance payment can be wired — this fee escalates across multiple rounds
- ⚠ The buyer's phone numbers have +44/+971/+1 country codes but calls are often from Indian numbers pretending to be foreign
- ⚠ Once you pay the certification fees, all communication stops