Registry details do not match
The legal name, address or registration number on the quote differs from the official record, or the company was only recently formed.
Online legit check
In B2B trade, legitimate means more than registered. It means the company exists, is active, pays its bills and delivers what it sells.
Searching a company name and finding a website proves very little. Fraudulent buyers and suppliers routinely use real registration numbers, cloned websites and professional email addresses. A proper legitimacy check looks at several independent signals and looks for what is missing as well as what is present.
TradeRepute adds the signal that is hardest to fake: verified references from other businesses that traded with the company and can prove it. It does not replace registry, sanctions or credit checks, and it is not a credit report. It sits alongside them.
Warning signs
Red flags that a company may not be what it claims
A thin or brand-new website
Very recent domain registration, stock photos, no named people and no verifiable address are common in fraudulent trade offers.
Pressure and urgency
Demands for quick payment, unusual discounts or a refusal to allow a call, video meeting or site visit.
Payments to a third party
Bank details in a different country or a different company name from the contract party should be questioned before any money moves.
No traceable trading history
A real trading business leaves a trail of customers or suppliers. Be cautious if nobody can vouch for them.
Unwilling to give references
Legitimate companies can normally name past trading partners. Check independent references as well as the ones they hand you.
Process
Run an online legit check in three steps
- 1
Confirm the entity
Match the name, country and registration number against the official company register.
- 2
Check peer evidence
Search TradeRepute for verified references from businesses that have actually traded with them.
- 3
Add your own checks
Screen against sanctions lists and review credit information through your normal compliance process before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
It shows what verified trading partners report about a company. That is strong evidence about behaviour, but it is not a guarantee. Combine it with registry checks, sanctions screening and, for large deals, a credit report.
Related guides
Know who you’re trading with before you commit.
Search is free. You only pay to unlock a report when verified references exist.