Companies House and the IPO are asking businesses to be vigilant of misleading requests for payments, sent by organisations not affiliated with government.
These requests typically take the form of invoices requesting payment for Companies House and IPO services.
What to look out for
Invoices are usually posted to the company’s registered office address, but can be sent by email too. These invoices may request payment at a highly inflated price for services available for a much lower fee, or free of charge, directly from the legitimate sources Companies House, IP attorneys or the IPO.
They usually ask for payment to
- set up or claim your Companies House online account
- authenticate your Companies House account or verify your details
- renew your trade mark or include it on an ‘exclusive online register’
How to check if a letter or email is genuine
If you receive a letter or email asking for payment and you’re not sure whether it’s genuine, you can
- check any website addresses included in the letter or email, and email addresses from generic domains – official Companies House and IPO services are provided through GOV.UK
- look for disclaimers stating the organisation is not affiliated with government
- contact us directly to verify any requests
If you choose to use a third party to represent your company, you may need to pay for their services. These can be legitimate businesses offering separate services to those provided directly by Companies House and the IPO.
If you’re unsure about a letter or email you’ve received, contact Companies House, the IPO or the organisation representing your company directly before making any payment.
You should report suspicious activity to Report Fraud, and your local Trading Standards office. If you believe you’ve been a victim of fraud you should report this to the police via Report Fraud.