Business & Finance

Genuine or dodgy company?

How can I find out if an online company is genuine? I have checked Company House and was unsuccessful - is there some other way to find out if a business is sound or a con?

ajlecky Mon 21/07/08 21:54

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joggerjayne
Mon 21/07/08
21:57

Pay for a report from Dun and Bradstreet.

In what way was your Companies House check "unsuccessful" ??

ajlecky
Mon 21/07/08
22:09

Question Author

It was unsuccessful in that I couldn't find details of the company!

joggerjayne
Mon 21/07/08
22:11

Which tells you that the "company" is not registered in England and Wales, so you have achieved something.

joggerjayne
Mon 21/07/08
22:13

But the business format might not be a limited company.

ajlecky
Mon 21/07/08
22:13

Question Author

Surely it means at it is not a limited company?

ajlecky
Mon 21/07/08
22:14

Question Author

Sorry - our answers crossed in the wires!!

joggerjayne
Mon 21/07/08
22:16

DOes the site describe itself as a "company" ?

ajlecky
Mon 21/07/08
22:22

Question Author

Yes

delboy3
Mon 21/07/08
22:25

Ask their local trading standards office if they have a file on the company or have been "made aware" of their activities, or ask their local chamber of commerce. Alternatively you could Google the company's name and see if anyone has posted any comments about them.

Oneeyedvic
Mon 21/07/08
22:33

What is the name of the company?

ajlecky
Mon 21/07/08
22:53

Question Author

I've done a Google search and come up with some mixed feedback. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll d a bit more research before committing to anything.

Jenna1978
Tue 22/07/08
07:38

It would only be on Companies House if it was a registered limited company, limited liability partnership, plc etc... in England or Wales.

It would be a company registered in Ireland or otherwise abroad for tax reasons. Ireland has its own company database and some others but it's much harder to track if registered abroad.

It would just be a trading name.

If you let us know the name of the company then someone may have more luck finding some more info for you.

Skyline D
Tue 22/07/08
13:12

The name it trades under may not necessarily be the name of the company.

moomintroll1
Tue 22/07/08
19:35

A limited company is required to have its registered name, number and address on the website (although not necessarily on every page), so even if it uses a trading name, it should have the registered name somewhere.

The Companies House website, by the way, also details Scottish companies, and has very basic details of those registered in Northern Ireland too.

As commented, it may not be a limited company, or indeed a UK company, at all.

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