Checking whether a foreign company is legit

[Yellow Fang]

My bank recently blocked a SWIFT payment I tried to make to a foreign company, because they thought it was suspicious. I agree it looked suspicious. My uncle is very concerned I am being scammed. Is there any way of checking, quickly, whether a foreign company is legitimate?

 

[classic33]

Where is the company?

 

[Trickedem]

My bank recently blocked a SWIFT payment I tried to make to a foreign company, because they thought it was suspicious. I agree it looked suspicious. My uncle is very concerned I am being scammed. Is there any way of checking, quickly, whether a foreign company is legitimate?

A legitimate larger company may have a Legal Entity Identifier. You can check here https://search.gleif.org/#/search/
Not a guarantee at all, but may help.
The fact that your bank blocked the payment is a definite 'red flag'

 

[cougie uk]

My bank recently blocked a SWIFT payment I tried to make to a foreign company, because they thought it was suspicious. I agree it looked suspicious. My uncle is very concerned I am being scammed. Is there any way of checking, quickly, whether a foreign company is legitimate?

If YOU thought it was suspicious - why did you make the payment?

 

[albion]

Probably on their list of known scammers. If it involves bitcoin then paying in is often fine. Getting it back out is a different matter.

Banks differ on how they protect you, so you might have been very lucky.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Where is the company?

North Cyprus

 

[classic33]

North Cyprus

Any good?
https://www.companies.gov.cy/en/company-lifecycle/search-for-company-information

https://companieshousecyprus.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgNSctvzzgQMVsoKDBx2qQQfYEAMYASAAEgLur_D_BwE

 

[albion]

I might be digressing rather a lot, but this shows the growing sophistication of the scams.
https://amp.theguardian.com/money/2023/oct/10/crypto-scam-finance-boss-fraudsters-savings

More power than brain I imagine. Investment managers on the whole get outperformed by trackers.

 

[alicat]

^^^ I suspect the link is to Companies House in the country of Cyprus whereas 'North Cyprus' is the Turkish part of the island.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Any good?
https://www.companies.gov.cy/en/company-lifecycle/search-for-company-information

https://companieshousecyprus.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgNSctvzzgQMVsoKDBx2qQQfYEAMYASAAEgLur_D_BwE

Sadly not. I think those are for the south side of the island.

 

[DRM]

North Cyprus

Don't forget that TRNC is not recognised as a country anywhere except by Turkey, I'd avoid like the plague, there will be no comeback whatsoever