More than 10 companies were cheated in exhibition stall transfer deals, a fraud scheme claiming victims ahead of the annual Guangzhou Chinese Export Commodities Fair, reports Information Times.

Qiu, a businessman based in Guangzhou, complained to the newspaper that he wired 145,000 yuan (US$17,470) to Guangzhou Tianqing Consulting Firm but the owner, a woman identified as Xie, disappeared afterwards.

He originally applied for some stalls at the commodity fair, which opens tomorrow, through the local foreign trade bureau, but it failed to book one for him, said the artifact dealer from Shishi in Fujian Province.

Two different friends then recommended Guangzhou Tianqing to him for good exhibition stall transfer deals.

He even obtained copies of the firm's business licence and Xie's identity card to make sure the company was legitimate before paying for two stalls.

But after wiring the money, Qiu was unable to contact Xie - her cellphone was turned off and the office never seemed to be open.

Upon reporting her disappearance to police, Qiu learned that Tianqing had cheated at least 10 other companies in the same way.

The commodity fair strictly forbids stall transfers and violators are expelled immediately, said an official.

Only foreign trade bureaux have the right to book stalls for domestic companies, she added.

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