Press Release

October 2006

Free service to help prevent company ID theft

With more companies falling victim to identity theft, a firm of Congleton accountants is now offering its clients a free monitoring service designed to stop ID fraudsters.

Paul Austen, of Paul Austen Associates said: “Police research suggests corporate ID theft is costing firms more than £50m a year. So we are now using new computer software which silently works in the background keeping watch on our clients’ records at Companies House. The system alerts us immediately there is any fraudulent attempt to tamper with a firm’s identity.”

Companies can become the subject of ID theft when fraudsters steal a firm’s ID to falsely obtain credit or provide a front for their often illegal activities. This is done by sending in traditional paper forms to Companies House with false signatures, an illegal act which can be difficult to spot. These forms can change the names of directors, a registered office or any manner of registered company details without the knowledge of the true company.