Verification should not end with a valid VAT number. Check the licence, insurance, vehicles, contacts, bank account and business history.
Fraudsters often push for rapid changes of details or communication outside the normal channel. A subtly different email domain is easy to miss under pressure.
On a first transaction, call a publicly listed number and confirm both the person and the account. A few minutes of checking costs less than searching for a missing load.
Model scenario: a new carrier requests that payment details be changed from an established IBAN two hours before loading. Calling the company through its public switchboard reveals that the email domain differs by one letter.
Official source: European Commission — VIES
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