Contractors that work via their own limited company have been advised to check their details on Companies House frequently. This is because fraudsters are increasingly targeting the official registry to clone identities.
CPP Group, a leading provider of Life Assistance products and services said company owners hit by identity fraud faced an average bill of £13,500, which such a spot check could have avoided.
In a recent spate of attacks, fraudsters have been able to change company directors’ details or the registered office address by submitting false documents to the registry. Companies House does not verify the validity of paper documents submitted to it, including those requesting a change to a company record.
Companies House are aware of this and are making efforts to stop fraudsters doing this. One initiative is Proof – Protected Online Filing which ensures secure e-filing and a ban on paper forms. However, only one out of ten companies have signed up for this.
A service called Monitor is also available; this ensures existing directors are alerted as soon as specified company documents are added to the registry.
So are you a contractor working through your own limited company? If so, check your details on Companies House today.
Independent Contractor Services (ICS) offer a range of services, including a Limited Company Service for contractors and freelancers. To find out more about it, visit our page dedicated to our Limited Company Service here.
