16.10.2026
How to verify an EN590 seller: 12 checks before you sign anything
The EN590 market attracts a large number of offers that will never deliver a single tonne. Most of them can be filtered out in a few hours with basic checks. This list is what we run before introducing a seller to a buyer; you can use it whether you work with a broker or not.
Company checks
- Company registry. Find the seller in the official company register of its country. Check the registration date, status, registered address and directors. A company registered a few months ago offering 200,000 tonnes a month needs a very good explanation.
- Consistency across documents. Company name, address, registration number and signatory must be identical on the FCO, POP, draft SPA and bank details.
- Domain and email. Corporate email on the company's own domain, with a website that existed before the deal. Free mailboxes and freshly registered domains are a warning sign.
- Track record. Ask for references from previous buyers or terminals and contact them through publicly listed numbers.
Product checks
- Proof of product you can verify. A tank storage receipt, product passport or recent inspection certificate is only useful if you can confirm it directly with the terminal or the inspection company, using contacts you found yourself.
- Specification and origin. The quality certificate should match the EN590 specification and the stated origin; generic certificates reused across many offers are common in fake chains.
- Realistic volume and price. Large volumes at deep discounts to the market with no clear reason are the most common feature of fraudulent offers.
Vessel and logistics checks
- Vessel identity. If a vessel is named, check its IMO number, current position and history in public ship databases. A vessel that is somewhere else, or too small for the stated cargo, ends the conversation.
- Loading port and terminal. Confirm that the terminal exists, handles the product and can load in the stated window.
Bank and compliance checks
- Bank details. The seller's bank account should be in the seller's own name and in the seller's country of operation, at a bank you can identify by its official SWIFT code.
- Sanctions screening. Check the companies, directors, vessel and banks against the sanctions lists relevant to you, such as the UN, EU, UK and US lists. Ask about the origin of the product directly.
Procedure check
- Who carries the risk. In a fair procedure money moves against verified product: payment is released against inspection and shipping documents under a bank instrument. Procedures that ask the buyer to pay fees, deposits or "tank storage" before an SPA and before any verifiable proof of product protect only the seller.
The fastest red flags
- Upfront fees of any kind before an SPA.
- Refusal to allow independent inspection.
- Documents that cannot be confirmed with the issuer.
- Changing company names or bank accounts mid-deal.
- Pressure to decide within hours.
FAQ
Can a seller ask for fees before the contract?
Genuine sellers of physical diesel do not need fees from the buyer before an SPA. Requests for "registration", "document" or "tank storage" payments before a contract are a common sign of fraud.
How do I check a tank storage receipt?
Find the terminal's official contacts yourself, not from the seller's documents, and ask the terminal to confirm the receipt, the product, the quantity and the holder.
This checklist is general information, not legal advice. Each party remains responsible for its own due diligence.