Before uploading identity documents or sending money, verify the broker in the official register for the country where your account will be held or serviced. Confirm the exact legal firm, its status and permission for the service you plan to use, then compare its registered contact details with the website or person who approached you. A real firm’s registration is not proof that an investment is suitable—or that the person contacting you really represents it.
What to collect before searching
Write down the broker’s legal entity name, any trading name, website domain, and the name of the person who contacted you. Identify the country where the account will be held or serviced, and what is being offered: securities trading, investment advice, CFDs, or another financial service. A brand name may differ from the regulated legal entity, and permissions apply to particular firms and activities.
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If the legal name or registration details are missing, ask the firm for them. Treat the answer as a lead to verify—not as proof—and use the regulator’s own website to look up the information independently.
Use the official register for the account’s jurisdiction
The right lookup depends on where the firm operates and what it does. The tools below cover the United States, United Kingdom and Canada; they are not universal registers.
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United States: check the broker or adviser, and the firm
Start at the SEC’s Investor.gov page, “Check Out Your Investment Professional”, which directs users to the appropriate searches. Use FINRA BrokerCheck for brokers and brokerage firms, and the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) database for investment advisers. SEC guidance recommends checking both the person and the firm when applicable. BrokerCheck can be searched by name or registration number; IAPD includes adviser registration information and Form ADV filings.
United Kingdom: check authorisation and the specific permission
Use the Financial Conduct Authority’s Firm Checker and Financial Services Register. The register covers firms and individuals and includes regulatory history. Check that the firm is authorised and has permission for the particular financial service or product being offered. Also search the FCA Warning List for known unauthorised firms. The FCA says: “If a firm isn’t authorised or doesn’t have permission for the financial services you’re looking for, you should avoid dealing with them.”
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Canada: check the dealer and the adviser where covered
Use the CIRO firm directory to check whether an investment or mutual fund dealer is regulated. CIRO’s AdvisorReport provides information about some advisers approved with an investment dealer, but coverage is not universal: reports are unavailable for some former advisers and people registered under the Mutual Fund Dealer category. For relevant searches, CIRO points users to the Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Registration Search.
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Match the record to the service and the person contacting you
A result with a similar name is not enough. Compare the register entry with the platform and the contact details you have, checking the legal entity, address, official website or domain, phone number and permitted activities. Where the register offers an individual search, confirm that the person is associated with the stated firm. Check permission for the exact service or product—not merely whether the business describes itself as “regulated.”
For US searches, that means checking both the individual and firm where relevant. In the UK, the FCA specifically directs users to confirm permission for the service they intend to use. Use contact details obtained independently from the regulator’s record if you need to verify a discrepancy; do not rely only on a number, link or contact person supplied in an unsolicited message.
Look for impersonation, warnings and disclosures
Check that the firm’s details are not being copied
Fraudsters may borrow a genuine firm’s name, address, registration number, logo, photograph or website design. The SEC advises investors to “Verify the identity of anyone offering you an investment.” A genuine register entry does not authenticate the website or caller in front of you: compare the exact domain and contact details, and independently contact the firm using details from the official record if anything differs.
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Read the record and its disclosures, not just the status label
- US broker or brokerage firm: BrokerCheck includes registration, qualifications, employment history and disclosure information, such as reported customer or regulatory matters.
- US investment adviser: IAPD provides registration information and Form ADV filings, which describe business practices and disclosures.
- UK firm or individual: the FCA Register includes regulatory history, including matters such as historic fines and the ability to handle client money.
- Canadian adviser, where an AdvisorReport is available: the report can show approval categories, jurisdictions, terms and conditions, employment history and disciplinary disclosures.
Read the underlying entry and filings rather than treating a registration match as a recommendation. They can help you understand the firm’s record and activities, but they do not determine whether an investment, fee structure or service fits your needs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When to stop and verify further
Do not send personal information or money while an identity or permission mismatch remains unresolved. Pause if the firm cannot be found, the legal name or domain differs, the person is not associated with the firm, the relevant permission is missing, or the regulator has issued a warning.
- Return to the regulator’s official register and recheck the legal entity and any individual involved.
- Use a phone number or website found independently in the regulator’s record to contact the firm or regulator—not details supplied in the suspicious message.
- Proceed only after the identity and relevant permission are independently confirmed. If they cannot be confirmed, do not open or fund the account.
Compare candidate brokers on the same checks
If you are considering more than one platform, record the same details for each rather than comparing brand names or promotional claims.
| Check | What to compare |
|---|---|
| Legal entity and jurisdiction | The registered company name and the country where the account will be held or serviced. |
| Registration status | The status shown in the official register for the firm and, where relevant, the individual. |
| Service permission | Whether the firm is permitted to provide the exact product or service being offered. |
| Identity match | Whether the register’s address, domain and contact details match the platform or person contacting you. |
| Record and warnings | Relevant disciplinary or background disclosures and any regulator warnings. |
These checks establish what the available records say about registration, identity and permissions. They do not establish that your investment is suitable, profitable or free from fraud, and registration does not guarantee repayment or prevent losses. Verify current records at the point of decision because statuses, permissions, contact details and warnings can change.
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