Fake Third-Party Inspection Report
A counterfeit SGS, BV or TÜV inspection report — stolen logos, invented inspector names, or a report from a company that never visited the site.
How the scam works
- 1.Buyer asks for third-party inspection to feel protected.
- 2.Supplier provides a polished report bearing a known agency's logo.
- 3.The report number does not exist in the agency's system, or the inspector is fictitious.
- 4.No genuine inspection occurred, or it covered only cherry-picked material.
Red flags to watch for
- Report supplied by the seller rather than commissioned by you.
- Agency cannot confirm the report number when you contact them directly.
- Inspector name or signature cannot be verified with the agency.
- Scope is vague, or photos are generic and undated.
How to protect yourself
- Appoint and pay the inspection agency yourself — never the supplier.
- Verify the report number and inspector directly with the agency.
- Define a clear inspection scope, sample size and acceptance criteria.
- Insist on timestamped, geotagged photos of the actual goods.
In depth
A counterfeit inspection report borrows the logo and format of a respected agency to certify goods that were never properly inspected — or were inspected by an accomplice. Because buyers rightly trust names like SGS, Bureau Veritas, or Intertek, a report bearing the right branding can wave through a shipment that no independent inspector ever genuinely cleared.
The defense is to control the inspection relationship and verify the output. Always appoint and pay the agency yourself rather than accepting a supplier-commissioned report, then confirm the report number and inspector's name directly with the agency through its official channel. Read the report critically too: a genuine one matches the scope you commissioned, with timestamped photographs clearly of your goods.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
- How do I verify a third-party inspection report?
- Contact the inspection agency directly and confirm the report number and inspector exist in their system. Crucially, appoint and pay the inspection agency yourself rather than accepting a report supplied by the seller.
- Why are supplier-supplied inspection reports risky?
- If the seller commissions and hands you the report, it can be forged, cherry-picked, or from an agency that never visited the site. Independent inspection only protects you when you control the appointment, scope and acceptance criteria.
Real cases
An inspection that never happened
An oil-and-gas buyer received an inspection report confirming pipe quality. The agency confirmed the report number did not exist and the named inspector had never worked for them; the pipe was sub-grade.
Worried this is happening to you?
Run your supplier through the structured verification checklist.