Concise Accountancy

Accountants and Registered Auditors

Companies house administration

Prevent your company from being hijacked

In view of corporate identity theft, Companies House has introduced the PROOF scheme to prevent your company from being hijacked. PROOF stands for PROtected Online Filing.

The PROOF scheme will prevent people to submit unauthorised papers company forms to change your company’s details. Fraudsters can hijack your company by doing the following.

Change registered office address

Fraudsters will change your company’s registered office address so that any mails sent to your company will go them directly. This will include Companies House reminders to file your confirmation statement and company accounts. Also, letters from HMRC and legal notices.

Appoint directors

Concurrently, they would also appoint themselves as your company directors. As a director, they have the power to enter into a contract or loan agreement on your company’s behalf.

Remove existing directors

To gain full control, the fraudsters would remove your existing company directors.

Prevent your company from being hijacked by joining the PROOF

Once you join the PROOF scheme, Companies House will not accept further papers forms filing for your company or limited liability partnership. From there on, further companies house filings will be done online. You would require your authentication code for this.

Companies House publishes company forms and LLP forms covered by PROOF.

If you have any questions about the Companies House PROOF scheme, contact companies house.

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