Questions future customers should ask before paying

1.   Ask the receiving bank, in writing, whether it will accept the exact issuer, correspondent, BIC, message type and wording.

2.   Ask the proposed lender, before paying collateral fees, to confirm every condition precedent—including custody, pledge mechanics and acceptable delivery format.

3.   Do not treat a screenshot or browser-print PDF as proof of SWIFT transmission or receipt. Obtain bank-to-bank confirmation or your own bank’s written verification.

4.   Ensure escrow release requires confirmation from your receiving bank, not merely a copy supplied by the fee beneficiary.

5.   Refuse a late-stage “full performance” acknowledgement until independent bank and legal verification is complete.

6.   Identify which party bears the risk if the advising bank refuses RMA, authentication, custody or the instrument itself.

7.   Require a refund mechanism tied to practical usability for the stated transaction, not merely physical issuance.

8.   Check whether percentage invoices match the underlying total and amended instructions exactly.

9.   Preserve original emails with headers, native files, call logs and messaging exports.

10. Use a lawyer independent of the provider, issuer, lender and escrow agent.