Does anyone know a website where you can find links to organisations and registers sorted by countries of legit companies in the respective countries ?
Otherwise I would encourage Alibaba to initiate such a collection of links.
Whether you do som communication with scammers before you become sure they ARE scammers or you have to scan through various threads in the Alibaba Forums it a time consuming job.

I think everybody would kiss such a list welcome.

Replying to [Peter_WoodShop]:
Dear Friend, First when you want to import something you have to look for the best country in producing that thing then look for companies then we you are about to start business just go to the Chamber of Commerce attached to Embassey of that country or visit its website and ask them about that company.

Same thing when somebody want to import something from you just visit the website of Chamber of Commerce attached to his embassey and ask for official approval.

If you need more explanation don't be hesitate to ask me for more

Replying to [Amr Tawfik]:Thanks, it's certainly a good suggestion.
However it would be nice to have a collection of links sorted by country which could also include contact details of chambers and maybe embassies.
It would be useful when you have what looks like a serious buyer/seller.
I would prefer not to waste too many peoples time when I'm checking if a lead is scam or serious - also not my own. There fore a set of easy accessible tools would be nice.
Now I'm mostly using Google to search for other references to that company (scammers often have no references or references regarding fraud).

Replying to [Peter_WoodShop]:If you need to ask a question like this, you need to get into another business,
First - of all if a buyer or seller uses a free email address (yahoo, gmail, hotmail) they are not real, if they cant spent 2-8 USD to get there company domain name what makes you think they can buy or sell to you.
Second ? with modern age and internet use anyone can find out if a company (buyer or seller) without spending any money ? e.g. www.sunbiz.org this is the Florida Department of State in the USA you can run any Florida company in real-time and know how long they have been in business, if they got any pending law suits, etc. Most governments today provide such information for free online do some research don?t ask questions, if this does not work call the country embassy for more information or the BBB or there local Chamber of Trade or Indestry, seek certifications like CE, FDA, WHO, etc. Be real ok.

Replying to [annil1]:Dear annil1, I think you talk from your own situation and are being a little ignorant towards the "3rd world".
I have several good and reliable business relations with people who don't have a website of their own.
It's all a matter of branch and location.
E.g. in Brazil one of my best relations has a profit of 2-3% due to the weak USD. He often has to postpone his landline phone bill because he has a family to feed. His phone and internet bill is about 20% of his income. He has a website, but if he didn't, I would certainly understand.
Checking a company in the US would be easy. In my country Denmark as well - we have free access to information on all registered companies on www.cvr.dk.
In Africa it's not the same.
I think what you suggest is that I only trade with rich, probably western owned, companies. Make the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
I'm not like that. If I can, I would prefer dealing with an honest "poor" company and even offer a better price to him in order to ensure a win-win deal.
I still think it would be of benefit to the Alibaba community to have a link collection where you can look up a country and find good places to verify a company.
Remember that most war and tension is based on economy, specially difference in economy. It's not a coincidence that your own countrys military is located only in areas of oil interest.
I can not make a difference in the world, but I can do my bit.
But I would prefer spending my time and money on honest people, not on verifying scammers.

Replying to [Peter_WoodShop]:

Quote:

I think what you suggest is that I only trade with rich, probably western owned, companies. Make the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
I'm not like that. If I can, I would prefer dealing with an honest "poor" company and even offer a better price to him in order to ensure a win-win deal.
I still think it would be of benefit to the Alibaba community to have a link collection where you can look up a country and find good places to verify a company.
Remember that most war and tension is based on economy, specially difference in economy. It's not a coincidence that your own countrys military is located only in areas of oil interest.

Hi, Peter

I like for what you stated above and immediately I remember one topic from a newspaper by International economic analysis (sorry, not remember the name);

HOW THE RICH COUNTRIES GET MORE RICH? ONLY BY GET POOREST THE POOR COUNTRIES.

Flashback to experience in dealing with them, full of tension no result. Spend the expenses made me poorest.

Successful business for you.

rgds, ^erl

Replying to [Peter_WoodShop]:
I think its important to have this.I moved from Chicago in 2004 to lagos nigeria i have always done internet business until i started living in nigeria and suppliers will tell you sorry we do not do business with Nigerians. I have Nigerian parents but am an american citizen and this is really painful.
So i am now putting together a web site to verify business and people in africa for business like a better business bureau bbb
free of charge this scammers are making it almost impossible to do business from africa. hoping to be ready by 1st of dec 2006 to perform this if you need help in dealing with any business from africa pls email me and i will do my best to verify for you.
Hopefully if few people can perform this tax around the world we will take back control from scammers

Replying to [Sherry]:I think that is great if you help honest nigerian companies to obtain some kind of valuation.
You could actually have a good business concept there.

Replying to [Peter_WoodShop]: How about we go about building one? If we come together and give information about our country or others we may be familiar with we can have a list in no time. I'll verify if there is a web site here with the necessary facilities and post it here. Or we can set up a seperate list - don't know how to work that as I am new here but if you do let us know.

Replying to [Peter_WoodShop]:Replying to [annil1]:Dear Sir, I am not being ignorant towards 3rd world countries, because I am originally from a third world country that is less than 600 miles from Brazil, your facts about Brazil are unrealistic because I have been there. Go to the CIA world fact book, look on Google, you have also missed understood what I said in my original posting I am not speaking about 3rd world countries but the world in general including your country, there are many people form the UK, USA and your country etc. that use free email address and are asking us to do $1000s in business, when the deal does not happen, what is the cost to our company manpower and time or maybe you can try to verify a company from their email address on WHOS database when they are using a free email service.

Replying to [Peter_WoodShop]:
Here is info for Barbados --- http://www.caipo.gov.bb/index2.htm
Just click on search and accept the agreement and you are on your way.

This one is from Oregon in the US
http://egov.sos.state.or.us/br/pkg_web_name_srch_inq.login

This one I have to spend some time finding out just what they are about, but it looks like it can be useful. -- http://opensource.ingres.com/portal_memberdata/portal_factory/ForgeMember/ForgeMember.2006-12-19.5002/join_form

That's it for now.