A bank guarantee (BG) or standby letter of credit (SBLC) is a written promise from a regulated bank that it will pay if its customer fails to perform or settle. Because the liability sits on the bank’s balance-sheet, a genuine BG or SBLC effectively swaps the buyer’s credit for the bank’s, letting unfamiliar counterparties transact with confidence. Authentic instruments travel over SWIFT as MT 760 messages and follow internationally recognised rulebooks such as URDG 758 or ISP 98.
External forgery is still the most common tactic: scammers copy a well-known bank’s logo and letterhead, draft a polished PDF, invent an MT 760 reference, then demand a small “activation” or “insurance” fee—usually one to three percent of face value—before value can allegedly be confirmed. Because the document never entered the SWIFT network, it has no legal standing even though it looks convincing.
| Step | What to Do | Time Needed | Fail Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence search | Look up the issuing bank on its home regulator’s register. | < 2 min | Bank not listed – stop. |
| BIC validation | Check the SWIFT/BIC on swift.com. | 1 min | No hit – likely fake. |
| Pull SWIFT header | Ask your bank to retrieve the MT 760 header. | 2 min | No header – message never sent. |
| Confirm UETR | Field 20 must show a 36-character reference. | 30 s | Blank or duplicated – fabricated. |
| Rule check | Field 40G should cite URDG 758 or ISP 98. | 30 s | Missing rules – unenforceable. |
| Independent call-back | Phone the bank via a number from its public website. | 3 min | Bank can’t trace – stop. |
| Escrow fees | Hold any fees in escrow until value is verified. | — | Refusal – walk away. |
After a BG or SBLC clears the basic checks, continue with corporate registry searches, litigation reviews, and reference calls. Confirm the signatories’ authority directly with the bank—not with the email address on the PDF. For large advance payments, insist on escrow: funds are released only after your bank authenticates the MT 760.
Forged guarantees are uncommon, but a single fake can wipe out the value of a full shipment or project milestone. Always treat a BG or SBLC as unverified until your own bank or a trusted trade-finance adviser confirms authenticity via the SWIFT network. A few minutes of checks cost far less than the losses triggered by a fraudulent instrument.
Financely arranges genuine guarantees and standby LCs through a vetted global lender network. We draft compliant wording, obtain SWIFT authentication, and confirm value before goods move or funds change hands—closing every gap fraudsters exploit.
Explore Our LC & BG SolutionsSubmit your deal using our secure intake form, and receive a quote within 1-3 business days. Existing clients can connect with their relationship manager through our secure web portal.
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Disclaimer: Financely provides financing based on due diligence and feasibility. Approval is not guaranteed, and past performance does not predict future outcomes. All terms are subject to review. Financely primarily assists with structuring and distribution. Qualified parties carry out the project if the client approves the proposal.
Financely advises growth-focused businesses on accessing capital by introducing their opportunities to professional investors. Financely is not a securities broker or dealer. Where appropriate, engagements are coordinated with regulated broker-dealers, investment banks, legal counsel, and other specialists.
Financely does not solicit, offer, or accept orders to buy or sell securities and makes no assurance regarding capital-raising outcomes.
Services are strictly business-to-business. Financely does not provide personal finance, consumer credit, or retail advisory services.
Advisory services are reserved for post-revenue companies that recognize the time and resources required for professional underwriting.
All mandates start with an RFQ. We review submissions, issue a brief Go/No-Go memo, and where bankable, release a Term Sheet that leads to funding. We arrange capital across Senior Secured, Unitranche, Second Lien/Mezzanine, Preferred Equity, and Gap Solutions. We do not process deals by email or chat.
Letters of Credit, Standby LCs, Confirmations, Receivables Finance, and Inventory Lines with control.
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Move forward to secure working capital and keep goods moving. Submit the RFQ to start underwriting for funding.
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Advance the file to termable status. Submit the RFQ so we can underwrite and secure funding.
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Financely Inc. (“Financely”) provides corporate-finance advice and is wholly owned by Aurora Bay Trust, a trust formed under Bahamian law, together with its authorized affiliates. Depending on deal structure, jurisdiction, and local rules, engagements may be carried out through Financely Group LLC, a non-deposit-taking, non-banking financial company; Ashford Capital Advisory LLC; or another related entity.
Financely and its affiliates are not registered as securities broker-dealers and do not execute securities transactions or hold client funds or securities. When a mandate involves the purchase or sale of securities and a registered intermediary is required, any orders are introduced to and executed by one or more independent U.S. broker-dealers registered with the SEC and FINRA. Those broker-dealers are solely responsible for trade execution, custody, and related regulatory obligations. Nothing in this material constitutes an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any security or to engage in any specific transaction. Before engaging Financely Group LLC, Ashford Capital Advisory LLC, or any affiliate, you are responsible for confirming that such engagement complies with your own legal, regulatory, tax, and other requirements. In the United States, certain advisory activities may be conducted in reliance on exemptions available under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, including the “foreign private adviser” exemption where applicable. Our services and regulatory status may vary by jurisdiction and by transaction type.
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