Before trusting a company with money or a partnership, due diligence tests whether it is what it claims to be. Using only public sources, you can map who owns and controls a business, whether its finances and history check out, and whether any red flags — litigation, sanctions, fabricated presence — lurk beneath a polished front.
What you'll need
- The company's legal name, registration number, and jurisdiction
- Registries and records tools from the People & Company category
- Data Acquisition and Cryptocurrencies tools for financial and on-chain checks
Steps
- Confirm the legal entity. Find the company in its official registry to verify it exists, its status, its incorporation date, and its registered address.
- Map ownership and control. Identify directors, shareholders, and beneficial owners, following corporate layers to the real people; this is core financial intelligence work.
- Check finances and filings. Review public accounts, filings, and — where relevant — KYC and on-chain data, watching for inconsistencies between claims and records.
- Screen for red flags. Search litigation, sanctions and watchlists, regulatory actions, and adverse media tied to the company and its principals.
- Verify the digital footprint. Confirm the website, staff, and history are real and consistent — a recently registered domain, stock-photo "team", or unreachable address are classic warning signs.
Common pitfalls
- Confusing existence with legitimacy. A registered company can still be a shell; registration is a start, not a verdict.
- Stopping at the first layer. Real control often hides behind holding companies and nominees several steps removed.
- Ignoring jurisdiction. Disclosure rules vary hugely; absence of records may reflect the jurisdiction, not innocence.
Verify your result
Your due diligence is sound when you can name the real owners, reconcile the company's claims with official records, and document either a clean result or specific, evidenced red flags.