Free Company Credit Check: What Free Registries Show (and What They Miss)
Before paying for a credit report, it makes sense to see what you can find for free. Official company registries and sanctions lists in many countries are free or cheap to search, and a few minutes with them can expose a fake company. A free company credit check has hard limits, though — and knowing them is what stops a free check from turning into an expensive mistake.
Free official sources by country
| Country / region | Free official source | What you can usually see |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Companies House (find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk) | Status, officers, filing history, accounts, persons with significant control |
| United States | SEC EDGAR for listed companies; each state’s Secretary of State business search | Filings of public companies; basic registration and status at state level |
| European Union | e-Justice Portal business register search (BRIS) and national registers | Basic registration details; depth varies by member state |
| China | National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (gsxt.gov.cn) | Registration, Unified Social Credit Code, legal representative, capital, scope, penalties, abnormal-operation listings |
| United Arab Emirates | National Economic Register (via u.ae), plus emirate and free-zone registers | Trade licence details, status and activities |
| India | Ministry of Corporate Affairs (mca.gov.in) master data | Company or LLP master data, status, directors |
| Pakistan | SECP company search (secp.gov.pk) and the FBR Active Taxpayers List | Registered name, CUIN, status; tax-filer status |
Access rules change, and some registries require sign-up or charge small fees for documents. Always use the official government domain rather than look-alike sites. Country guides: China, UAE, Pakistan.
Free sanctions and watch lists
- The UN Security Council Consolidated List.
- The US Treasury’s OFAC Sanctions List Search.
- EU sanctions (the EU Sanctions Map and the consolidated financial sanctions list).
- The UK Sanctions List.
- National lists such as Pakistan’s lists of proscribed organisations and persons.
Screen the company name, its owners and directors, and any banks or intermediaries involved — not just the company itself.
What a free check can tell you
- Whether a company with that name and number legally exists.
- Whether it is active, dissolved or in insolvency, in countries that publish status.
- Its registered address, date of incorporation and, in some countries, its directors and shareholders.
- Whether it appears on the main sanctions lists.
What a free check usually cannot tell you
- Whether the company you are emailing is the company in the registry — fraudsters copy real company names and numbers.
- Who ultimately owns and controls it, especially through foreign holding companies.
- Whether it pays its suppliers on time.
- Its financial strength — most private companies outside a few jurisdictions do not publish usable accounts.
- Litigation, regulatory penalties and adverse media across several countries.
- How much credit you can safely extend.
- Anything at all, if the registry is offline, in a language you cannot read or closed to foreign searchers.
The impersonation problem
The most common fraud in international trade is not a fake company — it is a real company being impersonated. A registry search will happily confirm that “ABC Trading LLC” exists and is active. It cannot confirm that the person offering you goods works there, that the email domain belongs to it, or that the bank account on the invoice is in its name. Business email compromise caused about $3 billion in reported losses to US victims alone in 2025, according to the FBI. Linking the registered entity to the people and bank details in front of you is exactly what a professional report adds.
A free 15-minute pre-check
- Search the official registry with the exact legal name and number.
- Confirm the status is active and the incorporation date is plausible.
- Compare the registered address with the address on the invoice.
- Check how old the website domain is and whether the email domain matches the website.
- Screen the company and its directors on the main sanctions lists.
- Search the company name together with words such as “fraud”, “scam”, “court” or “liquidation”.
- Call the company on a number taken from its official website or registry — not the one in the email.
If anything does not match, stop and order a full report before going further. Our list of 15 red flags shows what else to watch for.
Free profile, full report: how Raaziq BCR works
Raaziq BCR lets you search over 1.8 million company profiles free — name, country, address, status and business activity. When you need more, the full Company Business Credit Report adds verified registration details, ownership and UBOs, key persons, financial analysis, payment behaviour, legal and sanctions screening, trade activity, a credit rating and a recommended credit limit, delivered in 1–48 hours for companies in more than 200 countries. See how to order.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a completely free company credit report?
Free registry extracts confirm basic existence and status, but a full credit report with a rating, ownership analysis and credit limit requires research and is almost always paid. Raaziq BCR offers a free company profile search and a free sample report on request.
How do I check if a company is registered?
Search the official business registry of the country where it claims to be registered, using its exact legal name or registration number — for example gsxt.gov.cn for mainland China, Companies House for the UK and SECP for Pakistan.
Can I trust third-party “free company search” websites?
Use them as leads only. Many copy registry data irregularly and may be out of date. Always confirm on the official government registry or through a professional report.
Is a free check enough for a bank or compliance file?
Rarely. Regulators expect risk-based due diligence covering ownership, sanctions and adverse information, documented and dated. A professional report provides that evidence.
Start free — search any company at raaziqbcr.com/search-companies. When you need the full picture, order a complete credit report, delivered in 1–48 hours.
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