You paid the deposit, the supplier confirmed, and then the replies slowed down or stopped. Most of the time the cause is ordinary: a holiday, a busy sales rep, a production problem nobody wants to report. Sometimes it is the first sign that the money went somewhere it should not have. The first few days decide which of those you are dealing with and how much you can still protect.
This guide is a practical sequence for US small-order buyers: what to check first, how to follow up so you get an answer you can use, when to involve your bank, and which escalation routes exist. It is general guidance, not legal advice. If a large amount is at stake or you may sue, talk to a lawyer early.
1. The first 48 hours: stop, save, check
- Pause further payments. No balance, no "customs fee," no "mold fee" and no payment to a new account until the silence is explained. Requests for extra money during a silence are a red flag on their own.
- Save the record. Export or screenshot the full chat history (WeChat, WhatsApp, email, the Alibaba.com message thread), the proforma invoice or contract, the payment confirmation (wire confirmation, bank reference number, SWIFT details) and any shipping or production updates you received. Keep the original files, not only screenshots.
- Write a one-page timeline: the date of each message, what was promised, what you paid, to which account name and bank, and when contact stopped. You will need it for the supplier, the bank, the platform and any lawyer.
- Check the calendar. Chinese public holidays, especially the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and the National Day week in early October, can shut factories and offices for a week or more. The dates change every year. If the silence started right before one of them, allow for it, but still send your written follow-up.
2. Check that the company and the account still line up
Before you assume the worst or the best, check the facts you can check without the supplier's help.
| Check | Where | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Registration status of the seller on your invoice | China's official registry, GSXT (search the exact Chinese legal name or the 18-character Unified Social Credit Code) | An active status is a baseline. Revoked or deregistered status, or an abnormal-operations entry, is a hold condition. Our GSXT guide shows how to read the record. |
| Beneficiary name on your wire | Your own payment confirmation | It should match the Chinese legal name of the seller. A personal name, an "affiliate" or an unrelated company changes the situation. See our bank account guide. |
| Who asked for the payment, and on which channel | Your chat and email history | A late change of bank details, or an email address that differs slightly from earlier ones, points to possible email compromise rather than a slow supplier. |
| Where the order was placed | Your order records | An order placed and paid through Alibaba.com Trade Assurance has a platform dispute route. A direct wire to the supplier usually does not. |
3. Follow up in a way that gets a usable answer
A string of "any update?" messages is easy to ignore. One clear, written message is harder to ignore and more useful later.
- Use a channel you already trust, such as the phone number or WeChat account you used before the deposit, plus email. Do not rely on contact details that only appeared after the silence began.
- Ask one specific question with a date. For example: "Please confirm by Friday the production start date for PI 2026-118 and send a dated photo of the materials for our order." A dated photo or short video of your materials or work in progress is far more informative than a promise.
- Write in English and Chinese. A short Chinese version reduces the chance that the message is misread or passed over, especially if the person you dealt with has left and someone else is reading the account.
- Try the company, not only the person. Sales reps change jobs. A message to the company's general email or official phone number, found independently and not taken from the chat, can reach someone who can answer for the order.
- Keep it factual. State what was agreed, what you paid and what you need. Threats tend to end the conversation; a calm written record helps every later step.
4. If anything looks like fraud, contact your bank the same day
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) advises victims of business email compromise to contact the financial institution that sent the payment as soon as the fraud is recognized to request a recall or reversal, and says acting quickly may reduce or eliminate losses. It also asks victims to file a detailed complaint at ic3.gov, including the banking information.
- Call your bank's wire or fraud department, not only your branch. Give the date, amount, reference number and beneficiary details from your timeline.
- Ask what the bank can do for an international wire and what it needs from you in writing.
- File the IC3 complaint if you believe you were defrauded. IC3 says it does not work with law firms or recovery services to get money back and will never contact you directly asking for information or money, so be wary of anyone who offers to recover your funds for a fee.
Silence alone is not fraud, and a recall request against a real supplier who is simply late can damage the relationship. That is why section 2 comes first. But when the account name does not match or the payment details were changed by message, speed matters more than politeness.
5. Escalation routes, from lightest to heaviest
| Route | When it fits | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Platform dispute (Alibaba.com Trade Assurance) | The order and payment went through Alibaba.com checkout | The platform's process works from what is recorded in the order and the message thread. For orders paid outside the platform, Alibaba's help center says its help is limited. See our Trade Assurance section. |
| A visit to the registered or production address | The company is still registered and you need to know whether it is operating | Someone at the gate can confirm whether the site is open and who occupies it, with dated photos. It does not force a refund, but it usually ends the uncertainty. |
| A formal demand letter | The supplier is reachable but not performing | A written demand that states the contract, the payment and a deadline, in both languages. A lawyer can tell you whether a letter from counsel is worth it for your amount. |
| Arbitration or court | Larger amounts with a clear contract | The route depends on what your contract says about disputes and where the assets are. Get legal advice in the relevant jurisdiction before you start; costs can exceed a small deposit. |
| Law enforcement reports | Evidence of fraud | In the US, IC3 is the FBI's intake point for cyber-enabled fraud. A report helps authorities and your bank, but it is not a recovery service. |
6. Decide by a date, not by hope
Set your own deadline: if you have no dated evidence of progress by a certain day, you move to the next step in section 5. Write that date into your timeline. Decide in advance what you will accept, such as a confirmed new ship date with a dated photo of goods in production, or a written refund schedule, and what ends the relationship.
If you get the order back on track, change one thing for next time: tie each later payment to evidence, such as a dated photo of materials before production starts or an inspection before the balance. Our factory visit checklist lists what that evidence should look like.
7. Next time: lower the odds of a silent supplier
- Check the registry record and match the bank beneficiary to the legal name before the first deposit.
- Agree on milestones and the evidence for each in writing: production start, mid-production, finished goods, packing.
- Agree up front on the one channel and the backup contact you will both use, and never accept bank-detail changes on a chat message alone.
- Keep the deposit proportional to how much you have verified.
How Osmanth can help
When a supplier goes quiet, our Business Communication & Negotiation service can call, email and message the company in Chinese on your behalf and give you a written English record of every exchange, with each answer labeled “Supplier Stated.” Supplier Background Verification re-checks the registry record against your invoice and payment beneficiary. Where it helps, Factory & Site Visits can confirm with dated photos whether the registered or production address is operating. Every finding is labeled by evidence status: what we checked ourselves, what the supplier only stated, and what we could not confirm. We do not recover funds, act as your lawyer or collect debts. Every job is quoted individually; there are no list prices on this site.
Due diligence, not a guarantee: we report what we can reasonably verify, and our liability is limited to the fee paid for that service. Limitation of liability.
Supplier gone quiet after your deposit?
Send the company name on your invoice, the payment details and your timeline. We will reply with what we can check or follow up on, the limits, and a written quote.
Describe Your Task →Sources
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Business Email Compromise (contact the originating financial institution as soon as fraud is recognized to request a recall or reversal; file a detailed complaint).
- FBI IC3, ic3.gov home page (IC3 does not work with non-law-enforcement entities to recover funds and will never contact you directly for information or money).
- National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (GSXT), gsxt.gov.cn (official company registry lookup).
- Alibaba.com, Trade Assurance (order protection when paid through Alibaba.com).
Checked 2026-11-11. The follow-up sequence reflects Osmanth's own working method; it is not legal advice.
Limits of this guide
- We are not your lawyer, bank or a debt collector, and this is not legal advice.
- What your bank can do for an international wire depends on the bank, the timing and where the funds went; only your bank can tell you.
- Dispute and recovery options depend on your contract and the jurisdictions involved.
FAQ
My Chinese supplier stopped replying after I paid the deposit. Is it a scam?
Not necessarily. Holidays, staff changes and production problems often cause silence. Check that the company is still active on the official registry and that the account you paid matches its legal name, then send one specific written follow-up with a date. A changed bank account or a mismatched beneficiary name raises the risk sharply.
Should I ask my bank to recall the wire?
If you see signs of fraud, such as payment details changed by message or a beneficiary that does not match the seller, contact the bank that sent the wire as soon as possible. The FBI IC3 advises requesting a recall or reversal as soon as fraud is recognized and filing a complaint at ic3.gov.
How long should I wait before escalating?
Set your own deadline in writing. Allow for Chinese public holidays, but if you have no dated evidence of progress by that date, move to the next step: an independent check of the company or site, a formal demand, or legal advice.
Can someone in China check whether the supplier still exists?
Yes. A registry check shows the company’s registration status, and a visit to the registered or production address can confirm with dated photos whether the site is operating and who occupies it. Neither forces a refund, but both replace guesswork with evidence.