Commodity Documentation Authentication Guide
This guide covers the methodology for authenticating trade documents in African commodity transactions. It is the process our document analysts follow on every engagement — from initial review through to verification against issuing authorities. The goal is not to read documents but to authenticate them: to check each document against the authority that issued it and against the other documents in the set.
1. The two layers of authentication
Document authentication has two layers. The first is verification against the issuing authority — confirming that the document was actually issued by the authority it claims, with the details it contains. The second is cross-referencing — checking the document against the other documents in the set for internal consistency.
Most fraudulent document sets are caught by one of these two layers. A document that looks plausible in isolation may fail when checked against the issuing authority, or when cross-referenced against other documents in the set.
2. Mining licences
Mining licences are verified against the mining authority in the origin country. We check the licence number, the entity it is issued to, the scope (what mineral, what area), the validity period, and the status. A licence that has expired, been revoked, or is issued to a different entity is flagged.
A common fraud pattern is a genuine licence belonging to a different entity. The licence is real, the authority confirms it — but the supplier presenting it has no right to use it. Always check that the licence is issued to the exact legal entity you are transacting with.
3. Export permits and licences
Export permits are the document most commonly forged, borrowed, or recycled. We verify the permit number against the issuing authority, confirm the scope covers the proposed transaction, check the expiry, and verify the entity. We also check the format against the authority's current template — a permit that does not match the current template is a red flag.
Export permit verification points:
- Permit number appears in the issuing authority's records
- Permit format matches the authority's current template
- Permit is current and does not expire before the proposed shipment
- Permit scope covers the quantity and form of the commodity
- Permit is issued to the exact entity you are dealing with
4. Certificates of origin
A certificate of origin should be issued by a recognised authority in the country of origin, in the correct current format. Red flags include generic templates, signatures by unrecognised parties, and details that conflict with the export permit or invoice. For gold from the Great Lakes region, ICGLR certificates should be verified against the ICGLR registry.
5. Assay reports
Assay certificates are frequently abused. A common pattern is a real certificate that belongs to a different batch, a different supplier, or a transaction that happened months or years ago. Cross-check the assay against the rest of the document set: do the weights, dates, and descriptions match the invoice, packing list, and transport documents?
Also check the purity claim against what is plausible for the origin and form. A purity claim well above what the origin typically produces is a red flag.
6. Bills of lading and transport documents
Transport documents are where inconsistencies often show up. A bill of lading may list a vessel or route that does not match the origin and destination, show a date inconsistent with the rest of the timeline, or contain formatting that does not match the issuing carrier. Where a bill of lading is presented as evidence of a shipment already underway, verify it directly with the named carrier.
7. The cross-reference matrix
The final step is a cross-reference matrix — checking every field across every document in the set. Entity names, weights, quantities, dates, descriptions, and addresses should all be consistent. A fraudster assembling a package quickly rarely gets every detail aligned.
Cross-reference checks:
- Entity names spelt consistently across all documents
- Weights and quantities match between invoice, assay, and transport documents
- Dates are possible and consistent across the set
- Addresses and contact details are consistent
- Signatures, stamps, and letterhead are consistent from the same issuer
Document authentication is a two-layer process: verify each document against its issuing authority, then cross-reference the full set for internal consistency. Most fraudulent packages are caught by one of these two layers.