Buying Protective Masks on Alibaba: How to Avoid COVID-Era PPE Scams

After 20 years sourcing from China, I've seen scams come and go—but the pandemic-era mask fraud was unlike anything else. The rush to buy protective masks on Alibaba created a perfect storm for fraudsters. Here's what you must know before placing any deposit.

Protective masks on Alibaba

China is a country with the most significant production of medical equipment. After the outbreak of the new virus, Chinese factories set the goal of manufacturing equipment needed to combat the spread of the disease. Even companies such as BYD (electric car manufacturer) and Foxconn (electronics manufacturer for Apple) have taken on the tasks. Thus, during one month, China increased the daily production of face masks from 20 million to 110 million.

No wonder that in the search for masks and disinfectants, importers turned to Alibaba, the most popular B2B sales portal. The site has a lot of offers for just such products. However, we warn you that due to the high demand for masks from China, we have noticed a lot of scammers on Alibaba. Scammers eagerly take advantage of the situation in which there is a particular demand for medical products. If you want to import masks, gels, and similar products from China, be very careful and verify your potential partner before cooperating with them! Check if the company actually exists, how long, and whether it operates in this industry.

In addition, we warn you not to order pre-paid masks. Currently, pre-paid protective masks from China sold on Alibaba are 90% fraud. The popularity of masks from China at the moment is a favorable situation for fraudsters who can contact many unaware importers. The companies that advertise on the portal look very professional, and that is why the vigilance of importers who want to order a large number of sought-after goods is dormant. Warning! If the seller on Alibaba gives pre-payment as a condition of delivery, it’s an attempt to extort money. The company will probably never send the goods and disappear with the money.

Remember!

Verifying your supplier before payment is non-negotiable. At China-Check, we offer supplier verification and factory inspections to ensure you're dealing with a legitimate manufacturer—not a scammer. Protect your investment with a simple check before you wire a cent.