Are your company’s invoices really from Companies House?
Companies House and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) have launched a joint campaign to alert business owners about a rise in fraudulent payment demands. If you or your business receives an unexpected invoice claiming to be from Companies House or the IPO, do not make any payment until you have verified it is genuine.
What do the fake invoices look like?
The fake invoices are typically send by post to a company’s registered office address, though some have arrived by email. They are designed to look official and may reference real services (like maintaining a Companies House account, verifying company details, or renewing a trade mark).
The invoices often charge a heavily inflated fee for services that are either free or available at a much lower cost directly from Companies House or the IPO. Some demand payment to set up or authenticate a Companies House online account, or to register a trade mark on a vague ‘exclusive online register’, non of which are genuine requirements.
Warning signs (and what to do):
- Check the website and email address carefully
Genuine communications from Companies House and the IPO use gov.uk addresses. If the domain is anything else, treat it with caution.
- Look for typos or off phrasing
Scammers often use email addresses that closely mimic gov.uk addresses but contain small errors.
- Look for disclaimers
Some fake invoices include small print that stats the sender is not affiliated with the government (a good giveaway).
- Do not click on any payment links
These may lead to phishing websites or install harmful software on your device.
- Never pay without checking first
Contact Companies House of the IPO directly to confirm whether any request is genuine before parking with any money.
- If you have already made a payment
Contact your bank immediately and report it as a fraudulent transaction.
How to report a suspicious invoice
If you receive something that doesn’t look right, report it straight away:
Companies House: report online at gov.uk/guidance/reporting-scams-pretending-to-be-from-companies-house or email [email protected]
IPO (trade mark and IP-related invoices): email [email protected]
If you’re unsure whether any correspondence relating to your company is genuine, please get in touch with us. We can help you to check whether it’s legitimate, and advise you on next steps if you think you may have been targeted.
Stay safe! x
