Beware of Third-Party ASIC Registry Scams

We are continuing to see an increase in misleading annual renewal notices being issued to Australian companies by third-party providers. These letters often appear to be official correspondence but are, in fact, part of a scheme designed to charge excessive fees for services that are either unnecessary or significantly overpriced.

Entities such as “Online Business Registration” or “Registry Australia” commonly send these notices, presenting themselves in a way that closely resembles legitimate communication from Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

These notices typically:

• Imitate the look and branding of official ASIC correspondence

• Request payment amounts significantly higher than the standard ASIC annual review fee

• Refer to themselves as a “third-party agent” acting on behalf of your company

It is important to note that legitimate ASIC annual review notices are issued either directly by ASIC or via your registered agent.

If we manage your company’s corporate secretarial matters, all official annual review documentation and payment instructions will come directly from us. You should not receive valid renewal notices from third-party providers.

If you receive a notice of this nature, we strongly recommend that you do not make any payment. If you are unsure whether a communication is legitimate, please contact our office before taking any action.

For further information on scams targeting ASIC customers, you can visit ASIC’s official scam awareness page.

If you have any questions or would like us to review a notice you’ve received, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.