Before your business pays a deposit, signs a contract or switches to a new supplier, it is worth spending an hour confirming that the other party is who they say they are. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are common targets for fake suppliers, cloned company names and invoice redirection scams, and a deposit sent to the wrong account is hard to recover. Knowing how to check a Singapore company properly is one of the cheapest forms of protection you have.
This guide covers practical vendor and supplier checks for everyday purchases and service contracts. It is not about buying a whole business, which needs much deeper due diligence with professional advisers. It is general information, not legal or financial advice; for significant contracts, speak to a lawyer or accountant.
Start With the Basics: UEN and ACRA
Every business entity registered in Singapore has a Unique Entity Number (UEN). Companies and sole proprietorships are registered with ACRA, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, through its online portal Bizfile.
Your first checks:
- Ask for the full registered name and UEN. A genuine business will provide these readily. They often appear on invoices, quotations and websites.
- Search the UEN on the official UEN website or Bizfile. A free search confirms whether the entity exists and shows its registered name and status, such as live, struck off or cancelled.
- Compare names carefully. Scammers often use a name that is almost identical to a real company, with a small spelling change or an extra word. Match the name on your invoice exactly to the register.
- Consider buying a business profile from Bizfile. For larger deals, ACRA sells a business profile that shows details such as registered address, officers, shareholders, paid-up capital and incorporation date. Check Bizfile for the current fee.
What the ACRA Business Profile Tells You
A business profile is a snapshot of registered information, not a guarantee of quality. Read it with a few questions in mind:
- How old is the company? A very new entity is not automatically suspicious, but it deserves extra checks before you pay large sums.
- Does the business activity match what they are selling? A company registered for food trading offering IT hardware warrants questions.
- Who are the directors? You can search for their names online and check whether they appear in news reports or past disputes.
- Is the registered address plausible? Many SMEs legitimately use a corporate secretary’s address, but if the supplier claims a showroom or warehouse, ask to visit or see proof.
- Is the status live? Never pay a company that is struck off, in liquidation or cancelled.
Our guide on how to read a company annual report can help if the supplier is large enough to publish financial statements.
Check Licences, GST Status and Insolvency
Registration alone is not the whole picture. Depending on the trade, the business may need specific licences or registrations.
- GST registration: if the supplier charges GST, check that they are GST-registered using the GST registered business search on the IRAS (Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore) website. A business that charges GST without being registered is a red flag.
- Industry licences: many sectors have their own regulators. Examples include BCA for certain building contractors, HDB’s directory for registered renovation contractors, CEA for property agents, SFA for food businesses, and MAS (the Monetary Authority of Singapore) for financial services. Search the relevant regulator’s public register.
- Accreditations: some businesses carry schemes such as CaseTrust. Verify the claim on the scheme’s own website rather than trusting a logo on a brochure.
- Insolvency: for major contracts, a lawyer can help you check whether the company is subject to winding up proceedings or whether individuals involved face bankruptcy, through the relevant official searches.
Supplier Checks by Deal Size
Not every purchase needs the same effort. Scale your checks to the money and risk involved.
| Deal size or risk | Minimum checks | Extra checks worth doing |
|---|---|---|
| Small one-off order | UEN search, name match, online reviews | Pay by a method with some buyer protection where possible |
| Regular supplier | UEN search, Bizfile business profile, GST check | Trade references, site visit or video call |
| Large deposit or long contract | All of the above plus industry licence checks | Lawyer review of contract, staged payments, insolvency searches |
| Overseas parent with local entity | Local UEN and profile checks | Confirm the relationship between local and overseas entities |
Red Flags Before You Pay
Even with registration checks done, watch for warning signs in how the supplier behaves:
- Pressure to pay quickly, especially with “today only” pricing or claims that stock will run out.
- Bank account in a different name from the registered company, or a personal account for a business deal.
- Last-minute change of bank details, often sent by email. This is a classic invoice redirection scam. Always verify new bank details by phoning a number you already have on file, not one in the email.
- Contact only through messaging apps or free email addresses, with no landline, office or verifiable website.
- Refusal to put terms in writing, or reluctance to issue a proper quotation and invoice.
- Prices far below market for the same goods or services.
The Singapore Police Force and the National Crime Prevention Council publish scam alerts and advisories, so check their official channels if something feels off. Many of the same instincts apply when assessing consumer purchases, as covered in our guide on spotting fake designer goods before you pay.
Protect Yourself in the Payment Itself
How you pay matters as much as who you pay.
- Pay to the company’s own business account, matching the registered name.
- Use staged payments for larger projects, tied to clear milestones rather than one big upfront deposit.
- Get a written contract or purchase order stating what is delivered, when, at what price, and what happens if either party fails to perform.
- Keep records: quotations, emails, invoices, delivery orders and payment receipts. You will need them if there is a dispute.
- Set internal controls. Require a second person to approve new suppliers and any change to bank details. This simple step stops many scams.
If Something Goes Wrong
If you suspect fraud, act quickly. Contact your bank immediately to try to stop or recall the payment, then make a police report. For commercial disputes with a genuine but underperforming supplier, options may include negotiation, mediation or the Small Claims Tribunals for claims within its limits; check the State Courts website for current eligibility. For larger amounts, speak to a lawyer.
Checking a supplier takes little time compared with the cost of losing a deposit. Make the UEN search, Bizfile profile and bank detail verification a standard step for every new vendor, and your business will be far harder to target. If you are setting up your own entity at the same time, see our guide on registering a company with ACRA in Singapore.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if a supplier sends new bank details by email? Do not pay until you have confirmed the change by phoning a number you already have on file, not one in the email. A last-minute change of bank details is a classic invoice redirection scam. It also helps if a second person must approve any change.
Is a company with a UEN automatically trustworthy? No. A UEN only shows the entity is registered and gives its status, not its quality. Compare the exact name with the register, since scammers use near-identical names. Then look at the business activity, directors, GST status and any industry licence the trade requires.
How do I confirm a supplier is GST-registered? Use the GST registered business search on the IRAS website. If a supplier charges GST on an invoice but does not appear there, treat it as a red flag and ask for an explanation before you pay anything.
Can I recover my deposit if I have paid a fake supplier? Act immediately. Contact your bank to try to stop or recall the payment, then make a police report. Recovery is not guaranteed, which is why checks beforehand matter. For a genuine but underperforming supplier, mediation or the Small Claims Tribunals may be options, depending on the amount.
How much checking does a small one-off purchase need? Less than a large deal, but still some. Search the UEN, match the name on the invoice to the register and read online reviews. Where possible, pay by a method with some buyer protection, and keep the quotation and receipts in case of a dispute.
Official sources: ACRA
Further reading: How to Join Group Buys in Singapore Without Getting Burned · How to Do Due Diligence Before Buying a Business