A group of Moroccan importers have reportedly been scammed out of a staggering MAD 28 million by two Chinese home appliance and cookware exporting companies.
Now, they’re scrambling to find specialized business dispute lawyers in China to get their money back.
Sources told Hespress Ar that the importers were lured in by attractive price quotes (Devis) that had a catch: a small, almost hidden note stating the offers were only valid for 10 days.
The Moroccans, unaware of the fine print, transferred 30% down payments for large orders. But then, the Chinese exporters backed out of the agreed-upon prices, kept the down payments, and demanded even more money, claiming the cost of raw materials had gone up.
Desperate to recover their losses, the affected importers turned to various Moroccan authorities, including the Exchange Office, the General Administration of Customs, and their banks. When those avenues didn’t pan out, they decided to take matters into their own hands and fly to China.
Once there, they sought help from Moroccan brokers and intermediaries to find lawyers who could navigate the Chinese legal system and treat this as a clear case of fraud.
To their surprise, the Moroccan importers discovered they weren’t the only victims. Importers from other countries, including Jordan and Palestine, had fallen prey to the same scam.
Some savvy importers who caught on to the 10-day validity trick managed to protect themselves by insisting the quotes be valid until they issued a purchase order, rather than until the money was transferred.
The Moroccans’ investigation took them to the Chinese exporters’ production and storage facilities. The Moroccan importers found that the goods didn’t match the agreed-upon specifications in terms of size, quantity, or quality of materials.
Further inquiries with Chinese customs revealed that the two companies had a history of complaints and lawsuits from foreign importers, particularly from the Middle East.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the Chinese companies reportedly use Arabic-speaking Chinese translators to negotiate with importers, making it easier to deceive them.
The General Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes in Morocco has recently identified a list of Chinese companies involved in producing fake invoices to help foreign importers, including Moroccans, evade customs duties.
These companies use sophisticated techniques to manipulate brand names, product types, and technical specifications, making it difficult for Moroccan customs inspectors to detect the fraud.
Customs officials have also noticed a trend of importers making frequent, small-value shipments to avoid raising red flags and slipping under the radar.
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