How to Work with Financely—And How to Miss the Mark

Every morning our inbox lights up with “opportunities.” Some are genuine: audited statements attached, project permits in place, collateral described down to the surveyor’s page number. Others? Let’s just say they belong in a comedy sketch. Below are three actual excerpts (redacted for privacy) that arrived last quarter:

• “Dear Sir, we control 500 000 000 barrels Bonny Light available CIF Rotterdam. Need SBLC from XYZ Finance House immediately. No upfront costs—commission at closing.”
• “We seek 2 billion USD non-recourse loan. Collateral = heritage fund download certificate. Bank comfort optional.”
• “Investor ready to pay retainer after first disbursement. Please structure facility by Friday.”

Each message collapses under basic scrutiny: no title documents, no verifiable reserves, no equity, no real bank. Yet if we request a modest retainer to review the file, the sender shouts “scam!” in record time. That reaction speaks volumes—the so-called joker broker is quick to accuse, slower to produce evidence.

Who Thrives on the Financely Platform?

Ideal Client	Not a Fit
Project sponsor with 20-40 % equity committed and audited financials.	Entrepreneur seeking 100 % loan-to-cost and “no cash up front.”
Trade house with confirmed purchase contract, storage receipts and quality certificates.	Telegram group forwarding ICPO PDFs for nonexistent refineries.
Request backed by collateral that a commercial bank can perfect—cash, listed securities, mortgageable assets.	Proposal to “monetise” an SBLC issued by a non-bank fintech in a tax haven.
Clear budget for legal, due-diligence and arranger fees.	“We’ll pay everyone when we close—promise.”
Decision makers ready to sign exclusivity for mandate execution.	Broker chain ten levels deep, each demanding a slice of the fee.

Why Upfront Work Requires Upfront Budget

Credit analysis, legal structuring and compliance clearance are labour-intensive. Commercial banks do not approve eight-figure facilities on a handshake. Think of the retainer as professional earnest money—the signal that you value specialist time just as we value yours. Lawyers, rating-agency analysts and risk officers expect to be paid whether a transaction closes or not. If we absorbed those costs for every speculative file, we would cease to exist—and so would every reputable advisor.

The Hard Line on Fake Instruments

• Fictitious Commodities: If the cargo volume exceeds global output or the pricing is far below Platts benchmarks, we stop reading.
• Platform Trading & Heritage Funds: Daily triple-digit returns on “blocked funds” belong in urban-legend forums, not in a credit memo.
• SBLC Monetisation Myths: A standby issued by an unrated entity has zero secondary value. Commercial banks will not advance against it—period.
• Broker Chains: The longer the chain, the lower the chance the buyer or seller even exists.

Your Next Step

If your transaction is bankable—defined by verifiable assets, realistic leverage, and a sponsor prepared to share risk—our desk can arrange competitive terms from an investment-grade commercial bank and, where needed, a confirming bank. Submit the data pack, budget for diligence, and we will revert within two business days.

Financely Group provides arranging services for credit-worthy clients only. We do not entertain proposals lacking equity, collateral or factual documentation, nor do we engage with broker chains trading unverified instruments. By submitting materials you represent that the information is accurate and that you have authority to disclose it.