BUSINESS NAME RENEWAL SCAM..... avoid costly mistakes

ASIC has issued an urgent alert about unsolicited notices designed to trick business owners into paying unnecessary fees. Here's what you need to know to stay protected…………………..

If you've recently received a letter, email or formal-looking notice about renewing your business name or completing your company's annual review — stop before you pay anything. Australian businesses are being targeted by a growing wave of misleading correspondence from third-party operators who are not ASIC.

ASIC (the Australian Securities and Investments Commission) issued a public alert in May 2026, warning business owners and company directors about these unsolicited notices, which are designed to look official — and in some cases, to look like they've come directly from ASIC itself.

What do these scam notices look like?

These notices can be sophisticated and convincing. ASIC warns they may:

  • Look like a formal invoice, even though you are under no obligation to pay it

  • Reference a business name renewal or company review that isn't actually due yet

  • Use urgent language or short payment deadlines — sometimes dangling a 'discount' to pressure a fast response

  • Bundle their own service fee with the ASIC fee without making the difference clear

  • Use your own business details sourced from ASIC's public register to appear legitimate

How to tell if a notice is genuinely from ASIC

ASIC communicates in very specific, predictable ways. Before taking any action on a renewal or review notice, run through these checks:

You don't have to use a third party

This is an important reminder: you are never required to use a third-party provider to manage your business name renewal or company annual review. You can complete these tasks directly with ASIC yourself, at the published ASIC fee — no extras, no middleperson.

If you already have a registered agent you trust, they can handle it on your behalf. But that relationship should be one you've actively chosen — not prompted by an unsolicited notice arriving in your inbox or letterbox.

What to do if you receive a suspicious notice

  • Do not pay and do not respond until you've verified the notice is genuine

  • Log in to ASIC Connect to check whether anything is actually due

  • Report suspected impersonation scams to ASIC via their online enquiry form at asic.gov.au

  • If you believe you've been scammed, visit moneysmart.gov.au for steps on what to do next

  • Contact us if you're unsure — we're happy to help you verify any notice you receive

Scammers count on business owners being busy and assuming official-looking mail is legitimate. A 30-second check before paying any renewal notice could save you from unnecessary fees — or worse, handing money to bad actors.

Not sure if a notice you've received is legitimate? Get in touch with our team and we'll help you check before you do anything.

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