這些信用證欺詐套路，你一定要知道

信用證作為國際貿(mào)易往來中常用的支付手段之一，因?yàn)槠渥陨砉逃腥毕菟鶎?dǎo)致的信用證欺詐問題也越來越受到重視。由于銀行在信用證業(yè)務(wù)中所承擔(dān)的僅是對表面真實(shí)性的審查，這就要求買賣雙方在實(shí)務(wù)中更加主動(dòng)地關(guān)注信用證的真實(shí)性、“軟條款”、單證相符等問題，盡量減小風(fēng)險(xiǎn)保護(hù)己方利益。

Letter of credit (hereinafter referred to as “L/C”) is one of the common means of payment in international trade. L/C fraud caused by its inherent defects has also attracted more and more attention. Because banks are only responsible for the review of apparent authenticity in L/C operations, both buyers and sellers are required to actively pay attention to problems such as authenticity of L/C, “soft clauses” and consistency between documents and L/C in practice, trying to reduce risks and protect their own interests.

1、國際貿(mào)易中應(yīng)謹(jǐn)慎挑選交易對象，合理考察對方及開證行的資信，以防范信用證欺詐的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)

1. In international trade, you should carefully select trade object and reasonably examine the credit standing of both the opposite party and the issuing bank to prevent the risk of L/C fraud.

在現(xiàn)代國際貿(mào)易業(yè)務(wù)中，信用證作為支付手段的情況愈加常見。由于銀行信用的介入，即銀行向賣方保證在賣方發(fā)貨后所提交的單據(jù)符合信用證規(guī)定的條件下保證付款，賣方收取貨款的要求得到了保證。

In modern international trade, L/C is more and more common as a means of payment. Due to the intervention of bank credit, namely, banks’ guarantee to sellers that payment will be guaranteed if documents presented by sellers after shipment comply with the conditions stipulated in L/C provisions, sellers’ requirement to get the payment is guaranteed.

但由于銀行在信用證結(jié)匯中只對有關(guān)單證作表面的審查，只要單證一致，單單一致就應(yīng)對賣方付款，而對貨物不予審查，這就使得一些不法商人有機(jī)可乘。因此，對買方來說，縝密地調(diào)查賣方的信譽(yù)，慎重地選擇交易對象，成為防范信用證詐騙的重要前提。在調(diào)查的基礎(chǔ)上進(jìn)行評估，對信譽(yù)不良者拒絕從事交易，或采取其他支付方式，如托收或要求對方提供銀行擔(dān)保等，就可以避免信用證欺詐的發(fā)生。

However, banks are only responsible for apparent authenticity of L/C and documents in L/C’s settlement of exchange. So as long as documents comply with L/C, and documents comply with each other, payments shall be made to sellers, and goods will not be reviewed, which gives some illegal businessmen opportunities to take advantage of it. Therefore, as for buyers, they shall carefully investigate the reputation of sellers and select trade objects in order to prevent L/C fraud. L/C fraud can be avoided by making evaluation on the basis of investigation, refusing to trade with people who have bad reputation or adopting other payment methods such as collection and asking the opposite party to provide bank’s guarantee.

對于賣方來說，往往是收到通知行的通知即開證行已經(jīng)開證后才開始組織發(fā)貨裝船，故賣方的信用證風(fēng)險(xiǎn)監(jiān)控主要是在對信用證的真實(shí)性和其條款的審核上，此時(shí)可以委托通知行向開證行對信用證的真實(shí)性查詢。但由于銀行所負(fù)有的僅是對信用證表面真實(shí)性的審核，故要將風(fēng)險(xiǎn)控制好還是要謹(jǐn)慎挑選買方，對其資信予以調(diào)查，此外還應(yīng)在收到銀行交來的信用證之后，比照買賣合同進(jìn)行全面審核，以防假冒信用證或信用證條款與合同規(guī)定不符，或者有“軟條款”。同時(shí)，對信用證所要求的一系列單據(jù)應(yīng)當(dāng)認(rèn)真制作，保證單證之間以及單單之間的嚴(yán)格相符，以免給對方提供拒付的機(jī)會。

As for sellers, it is usually after receiving the advice of advising banks which means issuing banks have already opened L/C, that sellers start to organize shipment. Therefore, L/C risk monitoring of sellers is mainly on the review of authenticity of L/C and its terms. At this time, sellers may entrust advising banks to inquire authenticity of L/C from issuing banks. However, banks are only responsible for the review of apparent authenticity of L/C, so if sellers want to control risks, they shall carefully select buyers by investigating buyers’ credit standing. In addition, sellers shall conduct a comprehensive review according to sales contract after receiving the L/C presented by banks in order to prevent situations that L/C is fake, terms of L/C doesn’t conform with provisions of the contract or the contract contains “soft clauses”. At the same time, a series of documents required by L/C shall be carefully made to ensure strict consistency between documents and L/C, and consistency between documents, so as not to give the opposite party the opportunity to dishonor.

2、隨時(shí)跟進(jìn)信用證的情況變化，一旦發(fā)現(xiàn)問題應(yīng)立即采取相應(yīng)措施，將己方的損失減少到最小

2. Follow up changes of L/C and take corresponding measures once finding any problem to reduce losses to the minimum

信用證的業(yè)務(wù)流程跨度時(shí)間較長，從買方向開證行申請開立以賣方為受益人的信用證，到賣方將信用證項(xiàng)下的單據(jù)提交向議付銀行要求議付，再由開證行審核單據(jù)無誤后向受益人付款并通知申請人支付信用證款項(xiàng)，最后再由買方獲得單據(jù)并提貨，其中每一環(huán)節(jié)都可能會出現(xiàn)大大小小的問題。因此，無論是買方還是賣方都應(yīng)該時(shí)刻跟進(jìn)信用證的情況，一旦發(fā)現(xiàn)信用證在流轉(zhuǎn)過程中出現(xiàn)問題，如遭到開證行拒付后立即將貨物追回，控制己方的損失程度。

Business process of L/C has a long time span. First, buyers shall apply to issuing banks for opening L/C in which beneficiaries are sellers. Next, sellers shall present the documents under L/C to negotiation banks for negotiation. Then, issuing banks shall pay beneficiaries money and notify applicants of L/C payment after reviewing the documents. Finally, buyers shall take delivery with documents. Every part above may have large and small problems. So, both buyers and sellers shall always follow up the situation of L/C. Once finding any problem in the circulation of L/C, such as the issuing bank’s refusing to pay, you should immediately recover the goods to control losses.

因此，如果賣方發(fā)現(xiàn)信用證真實(shí)性有瑕疵應(yīng)立即聯(lián)系買方并向開證行進(jìn)行確認(rèn)，最好能盡快控制住貨物以免最后錢貨兩空；買方則應(yīng)關(guān)注賣方的貨運(yùn)情況，盡量選擇FOB（貿(mào)易術(shù)語）將租船訂艙、貨物保險(xiǎn)的選擇交易權(quán)控制在自已手中，一方面買方可以選擇自己熟悉的信譽(yù)良好的船公司送貨，另一方面進(jìn)口商還可以派人到裝貨港口檢查和核對貨物是否符合合同的要求，杜絕賣方在貨物方面的欺詐。還應(yīng)注意防范倒簽、預(yù)借提單或是利用保函換取清潔提單等情況的出現(xiàn)，尤其要注意賣方提交單據(jù)的真實(shí)性。

Therefore, if sellers find any defect in authenticity of L/C, they shall contact buyers at once and confirm with issuing banks. They had better control the goods as soon as possible so as not to both goods and wealth. Buyers shall fix their eyes on shipment of sellers. They had better choose FOB to control the rights to select chartering and cargo insurance in their own hands. On the one hand, sellers may ask shipping companies with good reputation, which sellers are familiar with, to deliver goods. On the other hand, importers may send people to check whether goods meet the requirements of the contracts in the loading ports so as to eliminate sellers’ fraud about goods. Buyers shall also pay attention to situations like backdating, advance bill of lading or using L/G in exchange for clean bill of lading, especially authenticity of documents presented by sellers.

3、規(guī)范進(jìn)出口貿(mào)易實(shí)務(wù)操作，熟悉運(yùn)用《跟單信用證統(tǒng)一規(guī)則》  (UCP600)選擇適當(dāng)?shù)馁Q(mào)易術(shù)語，增強(qiáng)對信用證欺詐的防范意識。

3. Standardize the practice of import and export trade, be familiar with the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (hereinafter referred to as “UCP600”), select appropriate trade terms, and enhance the awareness of preventing L/C fraud

由于信用證是針對單證文件而非貨物這一固有的缺陷，導(dǎo)致現(xiàn)在國際貿(mào)易實(shí)務(wù)中信用證詐騙的現(xiàn)象無法杜絕。雖然銀行予以介入，但是由于其所負(fù)有的“把關(guān)”責(zé)任僅是表面性的審查，故完全依賴銀行的資信是不夠的，買賣雙方都應(yīng)增強(qiáng)對信用證欺詐的防范意識。同時(shí)要規(guī)范進(jìn)出口貿(mào)易實(shí)務(wù)的操作，做好事前的資信調(diào)查，在訂立買賣合同時(shí)盡量選擇于己方有利的貿(mào)易術(shù)語。這也就要求實(shí)務(wù)人員對UCP600的相關(guān)規(guī)則有一定的熟悉，越是了解它的“游戲規(guī)則”才可以更好地控制風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，保護(hù)自己的利益。

Due to the inherent defect that L/C is not aimed at goods but documents, phenomenon of L/C fraud in international trade practice cannot be eliminated. Although banks are intervening, it is not enough to completely rely on bank credit because their responsibility is only review of apparent authenticity. Both buyers and sellers shall improve their awareness of preventing L/C fraud. At the same time, operations of import and export trade shall be standardized. Practical staff shall make credit investigation in advance and try to choose trade terms to their advantages when concluding sales contracts. It is necessary for practical staff to be familiar with relevant provisions of UCP600. The more they are familiar with “rules of the game”, the better they can control risks and protect their own interests.