Is this firm FCA authorised, or a clone?
Type a firm’s name or its FCA reference number (FRN). You’ll see whether it is on the FCA Register and authorised, and whether the FCA has warned about an unauthorised firm or a clone using the name.
5 free lookups with an account. An FRN is the FCA’s reference number: 6 or 7 digits, on the firm’s letters and website.
Example (made up): what an answer looks like
“Example Capital” on the FCA Register
Up to 10 firms, closest name first. Some are found under a trading or former name, so they may look unrelated: check the FRN and name of the firm you are dealing with.
- Example Capital LtdFRN 000001 · website on the Register: www.examplecapital.co.ukAuthorised
- Example Capital Advisers LLPFRN 000002No longer authorised
On the FCA Warning List
A warning means the FCA has said this name is used by an unauthorised firm, or by a clone of a real one. Read the warning on the FCA site before dealing with them.
Taking on a firm as a client?
A company check in Stratum reads Companies House and the FCA Register, finds who runs and owns the company, and screens each of them against the sanctions and PEP lists. Then it watches the client every morning, and keeps every check on the client with a signed certificate.
What is a clone firm?
A clone firm copies the name, reference number or details of a real FCA-authorised firm to make a scam look legitimate. The FCA lists the clones it knows about on its Warning List. The giveaway is usually contact details (phone, email, website) that differ from the ones on the FCA Register.
How do I check a firm is not a clone?
Find the firm on the Register, then contact it only through the phone number, email or website shown there, not the details you were given. If the name also appears on the Warning List, read the warning before going further.
What does “no longer authorised” mean?
The firm was authorised by the FCA in the past but is not now, so it should not be carrying on regulated activities such as investments, lending or insurance.
Is it free?
Every Stratum account gets 5 free lookups, shared by the firm and across the tools, to see how it works. You need an account to run one: it takes a minute, and your question is kept while you make it. After that, you check a firm or person by adding them as a client in your register, from your plan.
Can I link to a result?
Yes: the address of an answer opens the same check again, for anyone in your firm who is signed in. Each opening is a new check of the Register, so it counts as one.