A license number on a website is a starting point, not a completed check. Before trusting a broker, investment platform or other financial service, establish who operates it and whether the relevant official record supports the claims being made.
This guide explains a practical verification sequence. Finauthority is an independent research and review platform, not a financial regulator. Our profiles can help organize your research, but the competent authority’s current records remain essential.
1. Identify the company behind the brand
Write down the brand, exact website address, claimed legal entity, license or registration number, and named regulator. Compare the website’s legal notice with the entity named in its customer agreement. A group may operate through several companies, and one subsidiary’s authorization does not establish another subsidiary’s status.
Keep the distinction between a company-registration number and a financial license clear. Incorporation identifies a business; it does not, by itself, establish permission to provide a particular financial service.
2. Find the appropriate official source
Start from the relevant authority’s own website and locate its public register or verification guidance. Use a source you navigate to independently rather than relying solely on a link, certificate or screenshot supplied by a salesperson.
Useful official starting points include:
- FCA guidance on checking a firm or individual for UK financial services.
- Investor.gov’s investment-professional checks for US investment advisers and brokers.
- ASIC Moneysmart’s check-before-you-invest guidance for Australian investment checks.
These are jurisdiction-specific resources, not a worldwide clearance system. Choose the authority relevant to the service and location involved.
3. Match the record to the actual business
Search by the exact legal name and claimed reference number. Read the complete entry, including trading names and any listed contact details. Compare the website domain, address, telephone number and email details where available.
A real license can be copied by an unrelated operator. If the website or contact details differ, contact the legitimate firm through independently verified details or ask the regulator for clarification. A missing domain is a reason to investigate, not automatic proof of impersonation.
4. Check status, permissions and territory
Read what the record permits, not just whether an entry exists. Check the current status, permitted services, restrictions and any relevant notices. Determine which entity would contract with you and whether the authorization covers the activity and jurisdiction concerned.
Terms such as registered, authorized and licensed can have different meanings. A registration for one purpose should not be presented as unrestricted approval for every financial product. If the scope remains unclear, seek clarification before transferring money.
5. Look for warnings and keep a dated record
Search the authority’s warning notices using the brand, legal entity and domain. Match identifying details carefully so that an unrelated company with a similar name is not confused with the subject of a warning.
Save the official record’s URL and the date you checked it, together with the relevant status and permissions. Recheck before a material decision: licenses, restrictions, domains and operating entities can change. No warning found does not mean no risk exists.
What if you cannot verify the claim?
Pause and identify the missing link: the legal entity, the reference number, the permissions or the connection to the website. Ask for verifiable information rather than accepting another promotional certificate. An unsuccessful search alone does not establish fraud, and a verified license does not guarantee investment returns or the safety of a particular product.
Browse company profiles for additional context, and read our Research and Rating Methodology to understand how Finauthority distinguishes confirmed information from uncertainty.