Free tools · Business Clarity
Check before you pay.
About to pay a trader, an investment firm or click a link you weren't expecting? Use these free checks first. They use official UK registers and simple warning signs.
Free for everyone until 31 Dec 2026, then members only. Fair use: 3 free checks a day.
Please read: these tools are for education only. A clean result is not a guarantee that a business or link is safe, and a warning is not proof of a scam. We don't store what you type. If you think you've been scammed, contact your bank straight away.
1 · Check before you pay
Is this business who they say they are?
Type the business name. We open the official register search in a new tab, so you see the result straight from the source.
Companies House is free and shows if a UK company exists, its address, directors and whether it's up to date with its filings. The FCA Register shows if a firm is allowed to offer money services, like loans, investments, insurance or pensions. The FCA Warning List shows firms the FCA has warned about.
What to look for
- The name, number and address match what they told you.
- Status says Active, not "dissolved" or "proposal to strike off".
- Accounts are not overdue.
- The company wasn't set up only a few weeks ago (unless they told you it's new).
Money firms
- Anyone offering investments, loans, pensions or insurance should be on the FCA Register.
- Check the phone number and website on the Register, not the ones they sent you.
- Look out for "clone firms" that copy a real firm's name.
Sole traders
Many honest sole traders are not on Companies House. Ask for reviews from real customers, a landline or fixed address, and a written quote. Never pay the full amount up front for a big job.
2 · Scam link check
Is this link safe to click?
Paste a link from a text, email or post. We check it for common warning signs. Nothing is sent anywhere: the check runs on your own phone or computer, and we never open the link.
This is a warning-sign checklist, not a safety scanner. A link can pass every check and still be a scam. For a second opinion, try Get Safe Online's free Check a Website.
Quick rules
- Not expecting it? Don't click. Go to the company's website or app yourself.
- Urgent, scary or "too good to be true"? Slow down.
- Your bank will never ask you to move money to a "safe account".
Report it free
- Scam texts: forward to 7726.
- Scam emails: forward to report@phishing.gov.uk.
- Lost money: call your bank, then report to Action Fraud (England, Wales, NI) or Police Scotland on 101.
3 · Data leak check
Has your password or email been leaked?
Leaked passwords are one of the main ways business email and social accounts get taken over.
Password check
Your password never leaves your device. We turn it into a code on your device and send only the first 5 characters of that code to the free Pwned Passwords service by Have I Been Pwned. Your device then checks the matches itself.
Email check
See if your email address has appeared in a known data breach on the free Have I Been Pwned website.
Opens haveibeenpwned.com in a new tab. We don't see your email.
If you've been leaked
- Change that password everywhere you've used it.
- Turn on 2-step verification (a code by text or app).
- Use a password manager, or three random words.
Clarity Care members
Clarity Care members get more
The checks above are free for everyone. If you're on a Clarity Care plan, we go further for your business.
Unlimited checks
Send us any business, firm or link you're unsure about, as often as you like, and we'll check it for you.
Saved check history
Every check we do for you is saved on your private live job board, so you can look back before you pay a supplier again.
Monthly scam alert email
A short email each month on the scams hitting UK small businesses right now, in plain English.
Questions
Check tools FAQ
Is a clean result a guarantee?
No. These checks are for education only. Scammers can use real company names, new websites and clean-looking links. Always take care before you pay.
Do you store what I type?
No. The link check runs on your device. The password check sends only a short part of a code made from your password, never the password itself. The register buttons open the official websites.
Is this financial or legal advice?
No. If you're unsure, speak to your bank, Citizens Advice or a qualified professional.