Companies House and the IPO issue fake payment request warning

Companies House and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) are advising businesses to be cautious of requests for payment sent by fraudulent organisations.

Invoices are being sent to companies requesting payment for Companies House and IPO services. They may be posted to a company’s registered office address or sent by email.

The invoices request payment for services at inflated prices that are available for a much lower fee, or even free of charge from legitimate sources.

Payment requests may be for services such as:

• Setting up or claiming the company’s Companies House online account.
• Authenticating the company’s Companies House account or verifying details.
• Renewing a trade mark or including it on an ‘exclusive online register’.

Companies House and the IPO have advised that where businesses are unsure whether a request for payment is genuine, they can:

• Check any website and email addresses in the letter or email to see whether they are provided through GOV.UK.
• Look for disclaimers stating the organisation is not affiliated with government.
• Contact Companies House or the IPO directly to verify the request.

Companies House contact details can be found here.

You can contact the IPO here.