Robin Sourcing | Reliable Sourcing, Better Business

It started like any normal sourcing transaction. After months of product research, sampling, quoting, and negotiating, everything was in place. My client was ready to make the deposit.

Then, something unexpected happened…

It All Started With an Invoice

We had just finalized an order with a supplier we’d been working back and forth with for months. We had the product details nailed down, pricing confirmed, and the supplier had just sent over the PI (Proforma Invoice) for the deposit. Everything seemed routine.

But then, something strange happened.

A Mysterious Email—and a Misspelled Name

Before the client made the payment, a new email came in—one that looked almost identical to the previous ones. Same thread, same formatting, same document attached. The PI looked exactly like the one we’d reviewed… except the payment information had changed.

The email wasn’t addressed to me, which was odd, since I was the sourcing agent managing the deal. What’s more, the scammer had misspelled my name in the email—just slightly. Most people wouldn’t have noticed. But the supplier did.

A Quick Phone Call Saved the Day

I wasn’t even aware this fake email had gone out until the supplier sent me a message on Wechat.

“Hey, Robin” they said, “Did you change your email? Your address was spelled wrong in that last message.”

Immediately, alarm bells went off in my head.

I called the supplier directly and confirmed what I suspected: they hadn’t sent that version of the PI. Someone had jumped into our conversation, copied the PI, and replaced the bank account with their own.

And the hacker almost got away with it.

Timing Is Everything

The scammer was smart. They timed the email to hit right before payment. They mimicked everything—from our writing style to our invoice format. But that one tiny detail—my email address spelling—was what saved us.

Since it was the middle night time in the US, I left several messages to our chat box. The next moring, I called the client right away.

“Don’t pay that invoice,” I told them. “It’s fake!”

We caught it just in time. The payment hadn’t gone through. Thousands of dollars were saved because of a moment of hesitation and a supplier who trusted me enough to double-check.

What This Taught Me

In my years of sourcing, I’ve handled all kinds of challenges—delays, miscommunication, even shady suppliers. But this was different. It was a reminder that even when everything looks right on paper, you have to stay alert.

This could have easily slipped through if:

• The supplier hadn’t noticed the name mistake,
• I hadn’t had a direct relationship with them,
• Or the client had rushed to pay without verifying.

Why Relationships Matter

This story isn’t just about spotting a scam. It’s about why trusted relationships matter in sourcing—why having someone on the ground who knows the factory, knows the communication style, and can pick up the phone makes all the difference.

It’s not just about finding a product. It’s about protecting your investment.

Final Thoughts

We were lucky that day. But it wasn’t just luck—it was experience, communication, and a bit of healthy skepticism.

If you’re working with overseas suppliers, always double-check. And if you need someone in your corner to help keep an eye out for things like this, you know where to find me.