Reporting Fraud to Companies House

How we can help

Companies House is an executive agency of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).  The function of Companies House is to receive, store and disseminate information from limited companies and certain other bodies.  Please note that Companies House does not have any specific investigatory powers. 

The increase in Fraud is a serious matter and we fully appreciate customer concerns and want to do all we can to assist in resolving these issues.

Please note however that we are only able to advise on issues relating to fraudulently filed statutory documents sent to Companies House, such as:

• Registered Office addresses changed without company approval
• Individuals being appointed as an officer of company without their knowledge or consent
• Company names being changed without permission
• Invalid addresses being used for a company’s registered office and/or as an address for a company officer
• Internal Disputes between company officers involving the filing of invalid documents.

Please ensure that you provide us with full details of your complaint, including your contact details.  Any allegations of fraud relating to the filing of these documents should also be reported to the police as they are the appropriate authority to deal with such matters. 

If we receive a subsequent request for information from the police we will endeavour to assist them in any way we can.

Advice about different types of 'scams' such as job/work visa, escrow and lottery scams can be found on the Important Fraud Warning page.

If your complaint satisfies any of the above, you can e-mail details to us at fraud@companieshouse.gov.uk (We will aim to respond to your email within 5 working days.)

Companies Investigation Branch (C.I.B.)

Please note that we cannot assist with any issues that do not involve forms being filed at Companies House. 

If your complaint involves the conduct of a company or its officers, for example:

• If you are owed money by a company for any reason
• If you believe that a company or officer of the company is acting in a fraudulent manner

You should contact Companies Investigation Branch (CIB).  Details of how to make a complaint to them can be obtained by contacting them on 02075966100, or visiting their website www.insolvency.gov.uk/cib/contact.htm

C.I.B will usually take on any complaint that provides good reason for an investigation and where there is both a public interest in investigating and the prospect of follow up action resulting. Generally there must be reasonable grounds to suspect fraud, serious misconduct or material irregularity in a company’s affairs.

Further Support

For further advice and support relating to matters of fraud, please visit Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre via their website: www.actionfraud.org.uk/

For advice regarding Identity Theft you may wish to visit one of the following websites that offer practical advice and information www.cifas.org.uk or www.identitytheft.org.uk