Before you pay an unfamiliar supplier, check three things in the official company register: that the legal entity exists, that it is still active, and that its registered name, address and legal form match the invoice. Then check the VAT number and screen the name against sanctions lists. You can search any European company free on CheckBiz; the full report costs €1.99, is bought as a guest, and needs no account.
This guide is one step in How to verify a company in Europe before you pay it — the four checks to make in the official registers before you pay a new supplier.
- Which company-register red flags matter before payment?
- How can you verify identity and active status?
- What can VAT and sanctions checks reveal?
- What should you check beyond the register?
- How can CheckBiz support a supplier check?
- FAQ
Which company-register red flags matter before payment?
The strongest red flags are a missing legal entity, inactive status, conflicting company details, an unexplained change in bank instructions or a supplier name that does not match the contracting entity. A register check cannot prove that a supplier is honest, but it can expose identity and status problems before money leaves your account.
| Red flag | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Company cannot be found | Legal name, registration number and country | The supplier may not be the entity it claims to be |
| Inactive or dissolved status | Current register status | A dormant or dissolved entity may not be able to perform the contract |
| Details do not match | Address, directors, legal form and invoice data | Mismatches can indicate impersonation or payment redirection |
| VAT information is inconsistent | VAT number and registered legal name | An invalid or mismatched VAT number needs clarification |
| Sanctions screening produces a confirmed match | Legal name and available identifiers | A confirmed match requires careful review before trading |
A company name alone is not enough. Compare the registered legal name, registration number, address and legal form with the supplier’s offer, contract and invoice.
How can you verify identity and active status?
Start with the supplier’s legal identity, not its brand name or website. Search the relevant national company register using the registration number where possible. Confirm that the entity exists, remains active and has details that match the documents you received. Differences should be resolved before payment, not after a dispute begins.
Use this practical sequence:
- Copy the legal name and registration number from the contract or invoice.
- Search the appropriate national register and check the current status.
- Compare the registered address, legal form and business details with the supplier’s documents.
- Ask for an explanation if the company name, address or payment details differ.
- Keep the evidence with the purchase record.
What the registers actually return
The fields you get back are not the same in every country, and knowing them makes the comparison faster:
- Denmark — CVR. Returns the registered name, address, current status, incorporation date, industry code, whether the company is VAT-registered, and the legal form as a numeric code rather than a word: code 60 is Aktieselskab (A/S) and code 80 is Anpartsselskab (ApS).
- United Kingdom — Companies House. Returns the registered name, registered office address, company status, SIC industry code and the date of incorporation.
The legal-form field is where a mismatch shows up quickly. If the invoice letterhead says A/S but the register records the entity as an ApS, the invoice was not issued by the company the register describes — ask before you pay. The incorporation date is worth a glance too: an entity registered weeks ago, invoicing for a large first order, deserves a slower check than one incorporated decades ago.
A register entry can confirm the legal entity and status. It does not confirm that the person contacting you is authorised to represent that entity. Treat urgent requests to change bank details as a separate warning sign and verify them through a trusted communication channel.
What can VAT and sanctions checks reveal?
A VAT check helps establish whether the supplier presents a consistent tax identity for the transaction. Sanctions screening checks the company name against relevant sanctions data. Neither result is a complete risk assessment. A clear result does not guarantee performance, while a possible name match is not automatically a confirmed sanctions match.
There is a trap in the VAT check that catches buyers out. The EU’s VIES service confirms that a VAT number is registered, but it does not return the same information for every country. Checked on 18 September 2026, the Danish number DK22756214 came back valid with the registered name and address (A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S, Esplanaden 50, 1263 København K). The German number DE143454214 came back valid with no name and no address at all. So for a German supplier, a valid VAT number tells you the number exists — it does not tell you who holds it. To confirm identity there, you need the company register entry, not the VAT check.
For a European supplier, review:
- Whether the VAT number is registered and matches the legal entity.
- Whether the company’s legal name and country are consistent across records.
- Whether screening identifies a confirmed sanctions match or only a possible lookalike.
- Whether ownership information is published by the relevant national register.
- Whether adverse media or financial information raises additional concerns where available.
CheckBiz screens against the UN consolidated list, the EU financial sanctions list and the US OFAC SDN list, refreshed daily. The UK sanctions list is not included. Read how sanctions screening works for a European supplier before relying on a screening result.
What should you check beyond the register?
A company-register search is one control in a broader supplier check. Review the transaction itself: the requested payment method, delivery terms, contact details, ownership information and any sudden change in instructions. A real company can still be impersonated, misrepresented or used in a fraudulent payment request.
Before paying, use this checklist:
- Confirm that the email domain and phone contact are consistent with the supplier’s established details.
- Compare the beneficiary name on the bank account with the contracting entity.
- Be cautious when a supplier creates unusual urgency or refuses normal verification.
- Check whether the goods, services, address and company activity make commercial sense together.
- Request a second confirmation for any new or changed bank account.
- Record the company report, correspondence and payment approval.
Do not treat a positive company check as a guarantee. The purpose is to reduce avoidable uncertainty and identify issues that need human review before the transaction is approved.
How can CheckBiz support a supplier check?
CheckBiz combines company identity, active status, VAT registration and sanctions screening in one plain-language trust verdict. A full company report costs €1.99 per company, can be bought as a guest without an account, and its link remains active for 30 days. Search and the public company profile are free.
A full report can include:
- Confirmation that the company exists and is active.
- VAT registration and legal status.
- Sanctions screening with confirmed matches separated from possible matches.
- Registry filings and LEI information.
- Adverse media review.
- Ownership and financial information where the national register publishes it.
Report depth varies by national register. Check the European country coverage before ordering. For the purchase model and current report details, see CheckBiz pricing.
CheckBiz is a business check for your own decision. It is not AML or KYC compliance software. Its purpose is to give buyers, finance staff, bookkeepers and freelancers a clearer starting point before they sign or pay.
The key point is simple: use the register to verify the supplier’s identity and status, then combine that result with VAT validation, sanctions screening and payment controls. CheckBiz provides these checks in one report, but the final decision remains with the buyer and should reflect the transaction’s circumstances.
FAQ
Can a company-register check prevent every supplier scam?
No. It can reveal an entity that does not exist, is inactive or does not match the documents. It cannot prove that a website, email sender or bank account is controlled by the genuine company. Confirm payment instructions independently, especially after an unexpected change.
What if the supplier has a similar name to a sanctioned entity?
A similar name is not the same as a confirmed sanctions match. Compare identifiers such as country, address and other available company details. CheckBiz keeps confirmed matches apart from possible lookalikes, so a fuzzy name match does not turn the trust verdict red on its own.
Does a valid VAT number prove who I am paying?
Not on its own. For a Danish number, the check returns the registered name and address; for a German number, VIES confirms the number but returns no name and no address. Match the legal name and registration number in the company register before you pay.
Do I need an account to order a report?
No. A full company report can be purchased as a guest. The report link remains active for 30 days, and the purchase is one-off rather than a subscription.
Is CheckBiz an AML or KYC compliance tool?
No. CheckBiz is a business check for your own trading and payment decision. It should not be presented as AML or KYC compliance software.
Before you pay an unfamiliar European supplier, run a CheckBiz trust check and review the plain-language trust verdict with the contract, invoice and payment details. Order the €1.99 report at CheckBiz without creating an account.
Read also
- What an EU VAT number check proves, and what it doesn’t
- Can you check a European company against sanctions lists without an account?
This content was generated with artificial intelligence.
Read also: How to check a UK company on Companies House before you pay it
Read also: How to check a Danish company in the CVR register before you pay it