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What is a Company Hijack?

Corporate-related identity fraud

We have recently become aware of an attempt to hijack one of our clients companies. Company hijacks normally involve fraudsters changing the details of company directors and registered offices. This leaves the company vulnerable to further fraud. By changing the registered office address they can apply for your authenication code to allow them to access your company details via webfiling. They will usually upload false company accounts into your companies house account, and then try to obtain money, goods and services fraudulently. They will use the reputation of your company to carry out the fraud.

What can you do to prevent a company hijack?

When we carry out company formations, we sign up our clients with the Companies House Proof Scheme and would recommend all companies do this.

This free service lets you protect your company from unauthorised changes to your records. It prevents the filing of certain paper forms, including:

changes to your registered office address
changes to your officers (appointments, resignations or personal details)
changes to your company name by special resolution

It’s important that your company’s records are correct because they’re sometimes used to check its legitimacy if you apply for a loan.

With any new client we also use the Companies House Follow service, Follow is a free service from Companies House that allows you to receive email alerts of company transactions. These emails include a link to the filing history of the company you are following, which you can download for free.

You can follow any company registered at Companies House, but for added security you can choose to follow your own company. If you are a company director or auditor, Follow is a quick and convenient way to keep track of changes to your company. You will be alerted to filings as soon as they have been accepted.

Its also important to choose the right correspondence address

There is no requirement to use your home address as your correspondence (service) address, or your company’s registered office address.

If a director chooses to use their home address as their service address or the company’s registered office address, it will appear on the public Companies House register and cannot be removed from records. Keep this in mind when choosing your correspondence address. I-Supports registered office service provides you with an address for your company and directors, giving you peace of mind and added security.

What you should do if you are the victim of company identity fraud?

If you receive a suspicious letter, invoice or telephone call, contact Companies House immediately on 0303 1234 500.

Contact Action Fraud and report the fraud into their database, they also have fraud specialist you can talk to on 0300 123 2040.