The “Document Fee” Fraud 

This scam is catching a lot of small businesses off guard—especially those eager to secure new opportunities.

Here’s the setup:

You come across a “tender” advertised online or receive it via email. Everything looks legitimate—scope, pricing, deadlines. But when you try to access the full documents, you’re told:

📄 “Pay a refundable tender document fee to proceed.”

Sounds normal, right? Not quite.

After payment is made, one of three things happens:
❌ You receive incomplete or fake documents
❌ Communication suddenly stops
❌ The tender doesn’t exist on any official platform

🚩 Warning signs:

• Payment requested via EFT to a personal account
• No listing on official tender portals
• Poorly designed documents or inconsistent details
• “Refundable” fees with no clear policy or contract
• Contact person avoids direct calls or verification

💡 Reality check:
Legitimate tender documents—especially government tenders—are either free or obtained through official, verifiable channels. Any random third party charging access fees is a major red flag.

✅ Protect yourself:

• Always cross-check tenders on trusted platforms like CTD
• Confirm issuing institutions directly
• Avoid paying any upfront “access” fees without verification

At Central Tender Database (CTD), we filter out these traps so you focus only on real, actionable opportunities.

Stay sharp. Scammers are evolving—but so should you.