✓Companies House 09613257 · British company registered since 2015|Arabic + English support|Why Eteform →|Identity verification support →

Published: 2026-10-29

How to check a UK company-formation agent is real before you pay

Direct answer

A real formation firm has a Companies House number you can open, a legal name that matches the invoice, and a registered office that matches what they advertise. Eteform.com Ltd is 09613257. Open that company page and compare name, address and status before you transfer money. Reviews and speed claims do not replace the register.

Match the register to the offer

  • Legal name: Eteform.com Ltd, not only a trading name
  • Number: 09613257 on find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
  • Incorporated: 29 May 2015
  • Registered office: 167–169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London W1W 5PF
  • Status: active, not dissolved and not in strike-off

Director and identity verification

The People tab shows the active director and whether identity verification is complete. The company has existed since 2015. If the director changes later, the register is the reference, not an old screenshot.

Numbers besides the company number

VAT GB389288918 and DUNS 220906913 are published with the register link. Ask another agent for a tax or DUNS number only if they publish one, then check the source they name rather than a picture in an advert. The ACSP role is explained on What ACSP means: identity checks for directors before filing, not a badge pasted on a page.

What is not proof

  • “The only Arab company” or “number 1” with no register entry
  • Star ratings the site writes about itself in schema
  • A promise of a bank account, Stripe approval, or a visa bundled with formation
  • Payment to a personal account that does not match the company name on the register
  • A London address with no company number you can open

Client comments come after the register

Once the name and address match, read Trustpilot and the Google profile. Comments do not prove a statutory role, and the register does not describe what it is like to work with the firm. Together they are clearer than either one. The register link and About us collect Eteform’s public numbers in one place.

Next steps

When the register matches what you were shown, the filing path is UK company formation and prices are on packages.

Frequently asked questions

What should I check before paying a formation fee?

Ask for the agent’s UK company number and open it on Companies House. Match the legal name, registered office and company status. A number that does not resolve, or a name that does not match the invoice, is a reason to stop.

Do on-site star ratings prove the agent is real?

Not by themselves. Ratings an agency writes into its own schema are not a register check. Read Trustpilot or Google as client comments, then go back to the company number and registered office.

What does the ACSP role add to this check?

An agent filing for a non-resident verifies director identity before the form goes in. Ask who submits IN01 in their own name, and read What ACSP means. A promise to incorporate with no identity check does not match Companies House rules.

Is a bank account or visa promise a warning sign?

Yes. Formation registers a company. The bank and Stripe decide their own applications, and incorporation does not grant a visa or residency. Bundling those promises into one sentence misstates the service.

How do I check Eteform specifically?

Eteform.com Ltd is company 09613257, incorporated on 29 May 2015, registered office 167–169 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5PF. VAT GB389288918. DUNS 220906913. Open the People tab and confirm there is an active director with identity verification marked complete.

More in FAQ.

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