Scam patternsmandate-chain
Mandate Chain
A 'layer cake' of self-described mandates and intermediaries inserted between a buyer and a non-existent seller.
A mandate chain (or "layer cake") is a stack of intermediaries — "mandate", "authorised representative", "facilitator" — each claiming a link to a refinery or allocation they cannot evidence. The chain manufactures the appearance of access while insulating the originator; no link can produce a direct terminal contact or a verifiable allocation. If no party in the chain can name the loading terminal and put you in direct contact with it, the allocation does not exist.
Related: Advance-fee fraud, SCO, LOI.
Frequently asked
- What does Mandate Chain mean in oil and commodity trading?
- A 'layer cake' of self-described mandates and intermediaries inserted between a buyer and a non-existent seller.
- How do I check a counterparty that uses Mandate Chain in a deal?
- The term itself is not enough to clear or condemn a deal. What matters is the counterparty behind the pitch. Screen that name for free against 8 sanctions lists plus PEP and OilFlow's first-party cluster corpus in seconds, or order the full 7-step dossier for $25, and confirm identity documents and banking details independently before you transact.
See also