Trump‑era tariffs on China have squeezed import values, and firms are now answering with a wave of accounting tricks and outright fraud. ImportGenius data shows the average price of goods in a 20‑foot container fell almost 40% between January 2025 and February 2026, while shipments from other sources held steady. Companies are now slashing declared values to cut duty bills.

Flexport chief executive Ryan Petersen says the scheme is hard to detect because product values are subjective, yet he has witnessed a surge in middlemen who declare half‑price invoices to halve tariffs. Small importers feel the pressure; one Florida stationery business faced a $190,000 duty bill and turned to a Chinese “delivered‑duty‑paid” service that bundles shipping and tax for a flat fee.

Customs officials acknowledge the problem but lack resources; CBP spokeswoman Trish Driscoll urges whistleblowers while the White House declines comment. The distortion inflates the apparent decline in the U.S. trade deficit with China, with Washington reporting a near‑one‑third drop that may mask under‑valued shipments. Regulators must tighten enforcement before the practice erodes revenue and market data integrity.