Watch Out for Misleading ASIC-Style Renewal Notices

If you've recently received a letter, email or notice about your company annual review or business name renewal and weren't sure whether it was legitimate, you're not alone.

ASIC has issued an alert warning companies and business name holders about unsolicited correspondence from third-party providers that can look, at first glance, like it's come directly from ASIC. It may not have.

Here's what you need to know:

What's going on?

Third-party service providers are sending unsolicited renewal and review notices to business owners using publicly available information from ASIC's registers. Some are ASIC registered agents or authorised service providers. Others are simply private businesses offering administrative services. Either way, the issue is that these communications can be misleading, and in some cases may be designed to look like official invoices requiring payment.

ASIC is clear: any unsolicited approach must not create the impression it has come from ASIC itself.

What do these notices look like?

According to ASIC, unsolicited correspondence from third parties may:

• Look like an invoice, even though you are not required to pay it

• Reference a renewal that isn't actually due yet

• Use urgent language or short payment timeframes, sometimes with a discount offer to pressure a quick response

• Quote a fee that doesn't separate the third-party service charge from the actual ASIC fee

• Use your business details drawn from public ASIC registers

How to tell if it's actually from ASIC

Before paying anything or responding to any renewal or review notice, take these steps:

• Check the sender. Emails from ASIC will always come from an address ending in @asic.gov.au

• Compare the fee against ASIC's published fee schedule, which is available on their website

• Log in to ASIC Connect or the Company Officeholder Portal to check whether a renewal or review is actually due

• Be cautious if payment is being requested well in advance of a due date

ASIC sends company annual statements to one address only, in order of priority: your registered agent, your online account, your nominated mailing address, or your registered office. Business name renewal reminders are sent by email to the address linked to your registration.

You don't have to use a third party.

ASIC is reminding all business owners that they are not required to use a third-party provider. You can complete your company annual review or business name renewal directly with ASIC, or through your existing registered agent, at the standard ASIC fee.

What to do if you receive something suspicious

If you receive a communication that appears to be impersonating ASIC, don't take any action until you've verified it's legitimate. You can report it by submitting an online enquiry through ASIC's website. If you believe you've been targeted by a scam, act quickly and report it through MoneySmart or ASIC's dedicated scam resources.

Not sure if something you've received is legitimate? We can help.

If Maher Group is your registered ASIC agent, we'll continue to manage your ASIC compliance and annual review obligations on your behalf. If you receive any ASIC-related correspondence you're unsure about, simply forward it to us before making any payment.

Get in touch with the Maher Group team today