Is This Company Real? How to Check a Company's Registration Details
By the Vanguard Verify desk · Published 2026-10-24 · Updated 2026-10-24
Short answer: find the company in the official business register of the country where it says it is registered, using its exact legal name and registration number. Check that it is active, when it was formed, who its directors are and where it is registered. Then check sanctions lists and whether the contact details match. A real registration proves the company exists — it does not prove it is honest or holds any goods.
Step by step
- Get the exact details. Ask for full legal name, registration number and country of incorporation. A company that will not give these is a warning sign.
- Use the right register. Each country keeps its own register (some, such as Germany, have more than one). Your own country's register will not show a foreign company.
- Read the entry. Status (active / dissolved), incorporation date, registered address, directors or managers, and in some countries owners and filed accounts.
- Search the LEI. If the company has a Legal Entity Identifier in GLEIF, the name and address must match the register.
- Screen for sanctions. Check the company and directors in the EU Sanctions Map and the US OFAC SDN list.
- Match the contact. The website should show the registration number and a real address; the email should use the company's own domain, not a personal or free webmail address.
- Ask for references. Contact past customers or suppliers yourself and ask whether the company paid on time and kept its agreements.
Warning signs
- Only a PO box or mobile number, no landline or physical address.
- No registration number on the website or documents.
- Name in the register differs slightly from the name on the letterhead.
- Company formed very recently but claims years of trading or huge monthly volumes.
- Director named on the documents does not appear in the register.
Quick reference
| Check | Source |
|---|---|
| Exists and active | Official national business register |
| Global identity | GLEIF LEI search |
| Sanctions | EU Sanctions Map, OFAC SDN list |
| Track record | References you contact yourself |
Trading commodities? See counterparty verification in commodity trade and how to verify a commodity supplier.
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FAQ
Does being in a business register mean a company is legitimate?
It means the company legally exists. Registers state that an entry is not a guarantee of trustworthiness, so add sanctions, signatory, reference and document checks.
How do I find a foreign company's register?
Use the official register of the country of incorporation. Chambers of commerce, such as the Netherlands KVK, publish overviews of foreign registers.
What if the company is not in the register?
Ask for the exact legal name and number again. If it still cannot be found in the official register, do not send money or documents until it is explained.
Vanguard Verify is run by Vanguard Trade Capital Goods Wholesalers DWC-LLC, Dubai South, Licence 14282. This answer is general information, not legal or financial advice.