Why Company Verification Matters in Singapore
Singapore lost at least S$1.1 billion to scams in 2024, with 51,501 cases reported to the Singapore Police Force — a 10.6 per cent increase from the year before. While many of these involved individual victims, a significant proportion targeted businesses and professionals engaging with unfamiliar companies. In a business environment as active as Singapore, where thousands of new entities are incorporated every month, knowing whether a company is legitimate before you pay a deposit, sign a contract, or transfer funds is not optional — it is basic due diligence.
This guide walks through each step of a Singapore company legitimacy check, from the official government databases to third-party signals and professional certification tools. Whether you are a buyer, a business partner, or a procurement officer, these steps apply.
Step 1: Search ACRA BizFile for Basic Registration Details
The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) maintains BizFile, Singapore's official business registry portal. Every legally registered business entity in Singapore has a record here. The portal was relaunched in December 2024 with an improved interface and stronger data protection features.
To run a basic check:
1. Go to bizfile.gov.sg
2. Click Entity Search and enter the company name or its Unique Entity Number (UEN)
3. Review the free summary: legal name, registration status, and registered address
4. Purchase a Business Profile (S$5.50) for detailed information including directors, shareholders, and paid-up capital
The Business Profile is sufficient for most basic due diligence. A company showing 'Live' status with a registered address and active directors is a starting point, not a finish line.
Step 2: Verify the UEN
The Unique Entity Number (UEN) is a 9 or 10-digit identifier issued to all registered business entities in Singapore. It follows specific formats depending on entity type. A private limited company (Pte. Ltd.) UEN ends in a letter, for example 202512345K. A sole proprietorship registered before 2009 may follow a different format. If a company provides a UEN that returns no result on BizFile, or if the UEN format
does not match the claimed entity type, treat this as a red flag. Scammers frequently invent UENs or use numbers belonging to other businesses.
Step 3: Check Registration Status and Compliance History
BizFile shows whether a company is Live, Struck Off, Under Judicial Management, or in some other non-active state. A company that is struck off or in liquidation should not be accepting new orders, signing contracts, or receiving payments. ACRA has been more proactive in recent years, having removed over 50,000 potentially misused dormant entities from the register in 2024. This means an active status on BizFile is more meaningful than it was three years ago, but it still does not guarantee current business activity or trustworthy conduct.
Step 4: Check for Sector-Specific Licences
ACRA registration gives a company the right to exist legally in Singapore. It does not authorise any specific business activity. Regulated activities require additional licences from the relevant authority:
• Financial services: Check the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Financial Institutions Directory at mas.gov.sg/regulation/find-a-financial-institution
• Interior design and renovation: Check the HDB Directory of Renovation Contractors and the BCA contractor registry
• Employment agencies: Check the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Employment Agency Registry
• Education institutions: Check the Ministry of Education (MOE) or SSG for registered training providers.
If a company claims to be in a regulated sector but does not appear in the relevant
register, this is a serious warning sign.
Step 5: Check for Complaints and Adverse Records
ACRA registration and licensing do not capture complaint history. For this, check:
• Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE): CASE handles consumer disputes and publishes alerts on businesses with a pattern of complaints.
• Small Claims Tribunals (SCT): Records of tribunal actions against a business may indicate unresolved disputes.
• Court judgments: The eLitigation portal allows public searches for cases involving a company.
• Google and review platforms: While not authoritative, a pattern of negative reviews pointing to the same conduct — disappearing after receiving payment, substituting materials, refusing to communicate — is relevant context.
Step 6: Look for Independent Third-Party Verification
Government databases tell you whether a business exists and is licensed. They do not assess the quality of its conduct, the reliability of its principals, or its complaint history in aggregate. This is the gap that independent verification platforms address.
Scam.SG operates as an authorised agent of Data Bureau (Singapore), indexing approximately 600,000 ACRA-registered entities and running a pre-qualification programme for businesses that meet additional integrity criteria.
A Scam.SG TrustScore combines data from multiple sources — including ACRA registration data, MAS watchlists, complaint databases, digital footprint analysis, and online reputation signals — into a single, actionable score band.
Businesses that pass the screening threshold can apply for a Certificate of Business Authenticity issued by Data Bureau (Singapore). The certificate is verifiable at databureau.com.sg/verify.
Step 7: Verify Physical Presence and Communication Channels
A legitimate business maintains consistent contact information across BizFile, its
own website, invoices, and communications. Before transacting with an unfamiliar
company, confirm:
• The registered address on BizFile matches the address on their correspondence
• The company email domain matches their website (not a free Gmail or Yahoo account for significant commercial transactions)
• They can provide a landline or physical address you can independently verify
• Payment instructions name the registered company — not an individual's personal bank account
Red Flags to Act On Immediately
The following should cause you to pause or walk away entirely:
• UEN does not match the company name when searched on BizFile
• Company status is Struck Off, Ceased, or Under Judicial Management
• No website, no verifiable registered address, or address matching a residential flat
• Requests for payment to a personal bank account
• Pressure to commit or pay before you have completed verification
• No licence in a sector that requires one
Summary: The Verification Checklist
A thorough check for a Singapore company covers: ACRA BizFile registration status, UEN validation, sector-specific licensing where applicable, complaint history via CASE and court records, and independent trust verification via platforms like Scam.SG. No single check is sufficient on its own. Used together, they provide a defensible basis for a business decision.
For businesses that want to signal their own legitimacy to customers and partners, registration and verification through Scam.SG's TrustScore Verification and Protection Programme provides a credible, independently issued credential. Visit www.scam.sg/business to begin.