Therefore, after the storm, more SMEs are facing financing problems. At this time, various scams and financing risks began to occupy the market. Experts remind that enterprises must pay attention to details in the financing process to avoid falling into the financing trap and causing unnecessary losses.
Trap aspect
Trap 1: inspection fee
China is regarded as a country of etiquette. Therefore, it is reasonable to arrange reception and accommodation for those who come to help during the financing period of enterprises. However, enterprises must attach importance to certain types of inspectors.
Take the initiative to contact the enterprise, ask the enterprise for inspection without knowing the situation of the enterprise, and ask the enterprise to pay the inspection fee. Not only that, but also very demanding. In China, it is not common for investment institutions to pay inspection fees. Real investors usually arrange their own expenses for the inspection trip.
Trap 2: Project acceptance fee
The project acceptance fee refers to the fee that the financing service agency requires the financing enterprise to pay for project evaluation and project pre-trial after receiving the relevant information of the enterprise. In particular, investment companies with foreign investment background often regard charging project acceptance fees as a way of project control procedures and cost transfer. If the following situations occur, financing enterprises should be vigilant, and the scam is coming.
The financing service institution will not make a substantive review of the project information of the financing enterprise, that is, make a preliminary evaluation and approval conclusion; Preliminary evaluation and approval conclusion of unqualified projects; In order to collect the project acceptance fee instead of the project investment, the financing enterprise is refused for various reasons in the substantive evaluation stage of the project.
Trap 3: the cost of writing a business plan
Business plan is the first information that venture capitalists need to obtain before on-site inspection. Now, domestic and overseas investment institutions are used to using business plans. Therefore, the writing of business plan is a compulsory course before enterprise financing. It is precisely because of the importance of the business plan that some lawless elements can take advantage of it. Under the following circumstances, the financing enterprise shall refuse to help.
The enterprise has invited other financing service institutions or made their own business plans, but the financing service institutions or investors refused for various reasons and regarded it as a necessary link for the project to continue. Not only that, they also make things difficult for financing enterprises and ask them to provide business plans in "international standard format".
Trap 4: Evaluation fee
In the process of financing, some investors or financing service agencies require the evaluation of enterprise assets or projects. If it is in the financing implementation stage, this evaluation is absolutely necessary. But if it is the following, it is suspected of fraud.
Project evaluation is not in the project implementation stage, but in the project audit stage; The appraisal institution is not an appraisal institution recognized by the investor or the financing service institution; It is necessary to evaluate the whole project or some assets (mainly intangible assets).
Trap 5: Margin
Margin is also a trap that enterprises often encounter in the process of financing. It is understood that 30% of enterprises have been cheated of a large amount of deposits. A deposit is a scam if the following conditions are met.
The investor requires the financing enterprise to operate in strict accordance with its own pre-set procedures, otherwise it refuses to proceed; The investor has set strict terms for breach of contract; The funder is simple in reviewing the project, and has little enthusiasm for the authenticity and return of the project.
How to prevent financing fraud
Here is a real case. Through this case, let's see how swindlers use the financing desire of enterprises to implement fraud and finally succeed.
Company A owns a patented toy manufacturing technology. In order to get financial support, they look for financing opportunities everywhere. At a meeting, Company A met Company B, which is said to be the China office of a senior financing service organization in the United States.
Company B gave a quick reply to Company A's financing requirements, and claimed that if Company A's financing requirements could not be realized, it would not charge Company A any fees. After simple communication, Company B asked Company A to provide business plan and qualification identification in a popular way, and introduced Company A C to operate these businesses.
Without much thought, Company A paid Company C a fee of 30,000 yuan as agreed, and then paid another 20,000 yuan, but the whereabouts of Company C have been unknown since then. When company A went to find company B's theory, it was found that company B had also gone empty. Company A originally wanted to raise funds, but now it has become a capital contribution.
In fact, in this case, the deception of company B is not clever, but company A was cheated by fake company B because of its inexperience.
No matter how cunning a fox is, there is a place to show its tail. Therefore, small and medium-sized enterprises must be vigilant in the financing process and pay attention to the following aspects:
1. Confirm the strength and feasibility of the investor.
Real financing service institutions must have successful financing cases, and financing enterprises can start with the successful cases of financing service institutions and confirm their own strength. In addition, the business plan mentioned above, formal financing service institutions generally do not designate specialized companies to write business plans for financing enterprises, but only require financing enterprises to provide them themselves. In addition, if the investor introduced by the financing service organization really wants to invest in the project, it is usually the investor and the financing enterprise that entrust the evaluation company, and the evaluation fee is borne by the investor.
Generally speaking, fake financing service organizations have the following characteristics: the overall quality of the company's employees is not high, the way of contact and negotiation with financing enterprises is mysterious, and the project is easy to establish.
2. Don't be opportunistic.
Due to the difficulty of financing, most small and medium-sized enterprises are eager for financing and like to take advantage of small things. It should be noted that if you are impatient and do bad things, you will lose a lot because of small things. Many fake investors just take advantage of the psychology of financing enterprises and let them take the bait.
For example, signing a letter of intent for financing with enterprises without strict examination; Failing to take risk protection measures and making financing arrangements; A very small project, even a project without any foundation, will cost tens of millions of yuan. This is not a scam. Faced with this scam, many small and medium-sized enterprises are deceived because they believe that their projects will interest some people, and they will naturally be deceived if they have the vision to do things.
3. Invite experts to provide full service.
In the process of financing, small and medium-sized enterprises, if they want to minimize the risk, it is best to ask professional financing service agencies to follow the service all the way, or invite lawyers to participate, judge the nature and authenticity of the funders in advance, do their homework before signing the agreement, and nip in the bud.
Real financing
After reading so many financing traps, SMEs must feel scared. Then, what kind of financing is the real financing that small and medium-sized enterprises dare to accept and can ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises can obtain funds smoothly and continue to operate?
According to the reporter, in the China market, financing channels have been broadened a lot. If an enterprise really has a good project, it is not difficult to get financial support. At present, the popular financing channels in China market are as follows, which can be used for reference by small and medium-sized enterprises.
The first type: financial leasing.
Financial leasing refers to the financing mode in which the lessor purchases the leased property from the supplier and provides it to the lessee according to the lessee's choice of suppliers and leased property, and the lessee pays the rent in installments within the time limit stipulated in the contract or contract.
In order to obtain financial leasing, the project conditions of the enterprise itself are very important, because financial leasing values the future cash flow of the project. Therefore, the success of financial leasing is mainly concerned with the benefits of the leasing project itself, not the comprehensive benefits of the enterprise. In addition, the credit of enterprises is also very important. Like bank lending, good credit is the basis for the next lending.
The second type: bank acceptance bill financing
In order to conclude a transaction, the financing party may apply to the bank for issuing a bank acceptance bill. After the approval of the bank, the bank acceptance contract will be formally accepted, and the acceptance bank will sign the text or signature on the acceptance bill. Such a bill accepted by a bank is called a bank acceptance bill, specifically, a bank guarantee to the buyer. The seller doesn't have to worry about not receiving the payment, because the buyer's guarantee bank will definitely pay the payment when it expires.
The advantage of bank acceptance bill financing is that enterprises can achieve short-term, frequent and rapid financing, which can reduce the financial expenses of enterprises.
The third type: real estate mortgage financing.
Real estate mortgage financing is the most widely used financing method in the market at present. In real estate mortgage financing, enterprises must pay attention to China's legal provisions on real estate mortgage, such as guarantee law and urban real estate management law, so as not to be deceived.
The fourth type: equity transfer financing
Equity transfer financing means that small and medium-sized enterprises obtain funds by transferring part of the company's equity to meet the capital needs of enterprises. Small and medium-sized enterprises carry out equity transfer financing in order to introduce new partners. The process of attracting direct investment. Therefore, the choice of the object of equity transfer must be very cautious and careful, otherwise, the enterprise will lose control and be in a passive situation. It is suggested that small and medium-sized enterprises consult company law professionals and act cautiously before transferring their shares.
Fifth, provide secured financing.
The advantage of providing secured financing is that it can seize market opportunities, reduce the financial pressure of enterprises and improve cash flow. This kind of trade financing is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises that have opened a letter of credit in the bank, and the imported goods have arrived at the port, but the documents have not arrived and are eager to handle the delivery. Enterprises handling delivery guarantee financing must pay attention to the fact that once the delivery guarantee procedures are handled, no matter whether the received documents are inconsistent, they cannot refuse to pay or refuse to accept them.
Sixth: International Market Development Fund
This part of the funds mainly comes from the Central Foreign Trade Development Fund. If SMEs want to raise funds through this channel, it should be noted that the main contents of market development funds include: overseas exhibitions, quality management systems, environmental management systems, certification of software export enterprises and various products, promotion and publicity in the international market, development of emerging markets, training and seminars, overseas bidding, etc. And give priority to the expansion of emerging international markets, such as Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia.
The above six financing methods can be described as the more popular models at present. Of course, in addition to these, there are many financing channels for SMEs, such as foreign exchange mortgage loans, overseas listing financing and compensation trade financing. No matter what kind of financing method, enterprises should be cautious after choosing, and can't trust each other easily, know yourself and know yourself, and fight every battle. In order to help SMEs better distinguish between true and false financing, the reporter specially combed and summarized the characteristics of formal financing service institutions and investors (see table), hoping to help SMEs with financing.