China Discovery Tours

Question

Bank security said account was a scam so would not authorise payment. It has great reviews. Correspondence by email was great.what and where were the banking details of this company so that we can confirm their bank details as per our requirements.

Answer

Before proceeding with a payment to China Discovery Tours, it’s absolutely correct to perform due diligence. Here’s a breakdown of what we found, what remains unclear, and what questions you should ask to ensure your payment is secure.

What we found:

The company has a publicly listed Payment Guide page which states that for wire transfers you will receive bank account details (account number, bank name, SWIFT) in an email from your travel consultant.
They also list multiple payment options including PayPal, Alipay, WeChat Pay, and wire transfers.
The website does not openly publish its full bank account details (e.g., bank branch address, full account name, IBAN) on the public payment-guide page—but that is fairly common for travel agencies. Instead they say you’ll be sent those details by email once you decide to pay.

What remains unclear / risks you should address:

Because the bank details are provided after you commit (i.e., after booking), there is still risk if the email you receive turns out to be fraudulent or altered. Verifying that the details match the company’s official bank is essential.
Your bank’s security team flagged the account as a possible scam—this is a red flag and deserves further verification. Transparent agencies typically have the same bank account details published publicly or at least publicly verifiable by your bank.
Wire transfers are less reversible than credit card or PayPal. If you cannot confirm that the bank account is legitimately under the agency’s name and bank branch, you have less protection.

What to ask/provide to your bank and the agency before paying:

Ask the agency for their official bank account name, bank branch address, account number, SWIFT/BIC code, and currency of the payment (e.g., CNY, USD). Confirm that the bank is in the same name as the agency’s registered company.
Request that the agency send you a scanned copy of their business license or company registration (showing they are legally registered) and compare the company name to the one on the bank account.
Ensure the payment email is sent from a company domain (not a generic personal email). Cross-verify by calling the agency’s listed phone number and confirming the bank details verbally. The payment guide lists +86-28-85223672 / +86-28-85227275 in Chengdu.
Ask your bank to verify whether the target bank and account are flagged for any previous scam reports or high-risk designations. Many banks will conduct a “name check” to see if the beneficiary matches the business name you expect.

Your options if you remain uncertain:

Use a more protected payment method (PayPal if offered) which may offer some buyer protection. According to the payment guide, PayPal is supported.
Split payment so your deposit is minimal (if that option is allowed), and delay full payment until the company has provided verified documents.
Consider booking via a different agency that provides publicly verifiable bank details or payment trust mechanisms (credit card payment, third-party escrow).

In summary: The company appears legitimate and provides a genuine payment-guide page, but because the exact bank account details are only provided after booking and your bank raised concerns, you should insist on verifying the bank account details thoroughly before wiring a large amount. If your bank will not authorize the payment, it may be wise to use a payment method you are comfortable with (e.g., PayPal) or use a different agency altogether.

Safe travels and good luck with your booking!