Bogus Companies Scam

Bogus companies scam

Crime gangs are registering bogus companies at residential addresses without the homeowner knowing.

An investigation by BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours  established that 150,000 residential addresses had been used to register companies, and, in one particular street, every home had had their address used.

The shocking thing is that Companies House has no legal powers to verify or validate details sent to them so anyone can register a company to any address.

Some homeowners are only finding out that their address has been used when post from Companies House, HMRC, and banks have arrived at the address addressed to the business.  In some cases there have been overdrafts, loans and credit card debt demands arriving on their doorsteps.

This type of identity theft provides an important reminder to tear up, or shred, all personal documentation before disposing of it and to be very careful who you share your personal information with.

For more information read the whole article here.

Bogus companies scam: ‘We never knew our home was on the list’ – BBC News