We recently came across a new company scam from the Register of Companies and Businesses. We set a new limited company up for a client in April, and he received the above letter (we have blocked out the company name for obvious reasons). He knew instantly it was a scam, as he’s had many limited companies before, but thought we may find it funny! Basically, the letter is a call to action – namely to visit a website (www.regist.co.uk) and pay for ‘the publication of your company’.
However, the position is this; if you set up a new limited company, there is absolutely no requirement to register on this website. It is a scam, although it is subtle. There are no threats, it does not state any legal requirements to register. It simply says ‘lack of payment will result in lack of entry in the Register of Companies and Businesses’. If you are concerned what this may mean, I would suggest you visit the website. It is akin to having your company name put up on a wall in a room where no one goes!
There are articles on the website, but they are generic, and don’t really mean anything or even make sense.
There is also the register. If you click on an area, you will see the names of companies which may exist, or may be fictional. The companies may have been conned, or they could be populated to try and give the register credibility. Either way, the only information is the company name and address. Pretty useless to anyone.
Finally, as you may suspect, the Register of Companies and Businesses is nothing to do with Companies House.
So the bottom line is – if you receive a letter from the Register of Companies and Businesses, do not respond, there is no requirement to and you will be paying £190 for nothing.
Had this letter today only a matter of days after setting up the company, what I want to know is why is companies house selling my information?
Hi Jason,
Companies House records are public !!!! Anybody can search and hunt for newly established businesses. Mine was organized almost a year ago, I just got a letter and immediately looked for scam topics on the web… found this and laughed…. Be always smart and act wisely. There is only ONE register in England for companies and businesses…. Companies House. Everything else is a scam.
Regards,
Tom
Hi Jason,
I can’t say categorically whether Companies House are selling new company information, but one of the prices you pay for having a limited company is that your company details are publicly available. New company numbers go up sequentially, so the organisation in question, the Register of Companies and Businesses, could have simply searched on Companies House website and got the company name and address for free. I would imagine their approach is a number’s game – send out as many letters as possible and see how many respond (and importantly for them pay the £190).
Did some research on this myself, loved checking where their registered address was;
Our office is registered at the address: Poland, ul. Praska 15-17, 93-181 Lodz
Sent a nice email to them telling them where to shove it and to stop trying to con people!
Hi
I to have today got one of these letters. I’ve been InTouch with Company House and spoken to the fraud Department as this is the second Letter I’ve had in the past week. the first letter was from a Company called THE COMPANY WAREHOUSE based in Chelmsford. I even called them and told them to take me of there mailing list but until these people order some thing there’s nothing they can do. so here’s hoping that nothing will come of this.
Back end of October 2015…..they are still at it
This scam is now mentioned on the Companies House website, see under section 3 ‘known fraud and scams’:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reporting-fraud-about-a-company-to-companies-house/reporting-fraud-to-companies-house#known-fraud-and-scams
However, it isn’t being highlighted to new companies when they register (we received one recently for a new company we set up for a client), and looking at the Register of Companies and Businesses website, it looks like more companies are joining. Unfortunately, it looks like the same old story – be vigilant.
Thank you very much for posting this… its a helpful information to new comers like me.
March ’17 and they are still sending out these letters.
I’ve recently set up a new business and also had this letter today, only the price is now £210.00 I’ve had business before, so thought something fishy about it. How many unsuspecting people will pay….worrying.
Got one of these letters today. I’ve had companies before but still felt I had to check as it looks very official – nasty scam on the innocent! My company is a year old.
march 17th and ive just received one. same website and for 210 pound not 190. rang my account straight away and confirmed it was scammers.
I had one of theses letters today I though it in the bin after reading these comments on this site. Thanks
Just got a letter for £210, cheeky scammers. The sad thing is that I bet a number of people have fallen for this.
I got one too. What tipped me off is the URL, which isn’t a government one. My company is older, but was dormant until this time last year.
Just received a letter from the above requesting £180 – Googled and found this website. Very naughty! More for the recycling bin!
Same here, received letter asking for £210.00, thought it looked dodgy so googled it, hence why I am here…
Thanks for confirming my suspicions about this letter! I received a copy today, and put it on the side to discuss with my accountant on Monday. Now no need as it is going straight in the bin! Shame there is no telephone number to contact them.
Just had mine, but must now be a special offer as it’s only £180. Thanks for your help confirming my suspicions
I received one of these letters today asking for £180. Having read your post, very quickly consigned to the shredder!! Definitely a nasty scam which suspect many will fall for.
Got one today asking for £210. Thanks for sharing this information.
Just had one of these letters…
This is the registration details of the regist website
Domain name:
regist.co.uk
Registrant:
Krzysztof Jermak
Registrant type:
Non-UK Individual
Registrant’s address:
Zlota 59
Warszawa
mazowieckie
00-120
Poland
All websites in the UK are required by law to have proper clear contact details on them and in this case they do not.
I just got one this weekend, and I’m glad of finding this page before I paid up. Thanks for the warning.
Just got one today. Something didn’t smell right immediately so did a little searching for them and also found this page. Its rather a clever letter as if you read it once you seem to read you have to pay a fee and the companies house mentioned in bold block capitals, read it again and you see the word optional (presume so they dont get into trouble) and the fact that it is nothing to do with companies house
I got one this a few days ago, the same format letter but the name of web site is different http://WWW.E-PUBLIC.CO.UK asking to pay £180.00.
Thank you for informing people that this is a scram.
My partner received one a few days ago asking to pay £210 by 22/03/17. Thought it was all legit at first as it’s first time we’d registered as limited. By chance googled the address and came up with meeting rooms at 42 Brook Street, London. So glad we noticed this! Then re-read the letter with the ‘optional’ payment and no signed name and contact number on the letter. So sneaky. Bet many have fallen for it.
I also got one of these a few days back,£210, checked the web address listed (www.regist.co.uk) which didn’t work. But I did think it was legit at first – only thought it was strange it came 6 months after incorporation so had a second check.
Well if this is a scam, and I should think so as well, why not let the police know of this? people are falling for it and I nearly did!! then the scammers are collecting a cool sum for themselves from our hard earned cash……