Run through this before paying anything
- No transaction history. Zero completed orders and a brand-new storefront is the biggest single red flag.
- Prices far below market. If every forged wheel is $4,000 and one seller offers them for $400, you're not getting a deal — you're getting a lesson.
- Refuses Trade Assurance. A legitimate supplier has no reason to dodge payment protection. This one alone is disqualifying.
- Pushes payment off Alibaba. "Wire me directly," "pay on WhatsApp," "crypto only" — every one of these means zero protection.
- Stock photos only. Can't produce a real photo or video of the actual product, the factory, or packaging when asked.
- No verifiable business info. Vague company name, no address, no business license when asked.
- Pressure tactics. "Price goes up tomorrow," "only one left at this price" — urgency is a sales tool, but paired with other flags it's a trap.
- Copy-paste answers. Doesn't answer your specific fitment questions, just repeats the listing text.
The golden rule
Any ONE of the payment-related flags — no Trade Assurance, off-platform payment — is enough to walk away, no matter how good the price looks. There is always another supplier.