Counterparty Check: know who you are dealing with before you sign

In brief: the Counterparty Check is a fixed product of NCRB - Investigative Intelligence (Nederlands Cyber Recherchebureau), a licensed investigation agency with Wpbr licence POB 1737, for one person and one company in the Netherlands or the United Kingdom. We establish who the person is, how the company is registered, who runs it and who is behind it, whether the documents you received are consistent with the registers, and whether there are insolvencies, published judgments, sanctions or regulator warnings. Within three to five working days you receive a short report with a conclusion per question, the source and what could not be established.

What it covers

• Identity: does the person exist, and are they the same as the director or representative who approached you?
• The company: registration in the trade register (Netherlands Chamber of Commerce or Companies House), directors (in the Dutch register also their authority to represent the company), address, date of incorporation, trade names or previous names, and earlier changes to the registration.
• Ownership: who is behind the company. For a UK Ltd through the public register of people with significant control (PSC) at Companies House; in the Netherlands as far as this can be established lawfully, because the Dutch UBO register is not public.
• Insolvencies and published court judgments, where these can be found by name.
• The documents you received, such as a passport copy, register extract or bank statement: are they consistent with each other and with the registers?
• Sanctions lists, politically exposed persons (PEP) and warnings from regulators such as the Dutch AFM and the UK FCA.
• Digital traces: website and domain, email addresses, online profiles and media coverage.

Who it is for

• Companies that want to check an investor, buyer, supplier or distributor before they sign or pay.
• Investors who want the company and the person behind an offer verified.
• Law firms that want an opposing or contracting party checked in advance.
• Private individuals with a business investment or partnership.

What you receive

You receive a short written report with a conclusion per question, the source, time of capture and confidence level for each finding, and what could not be established. In English or Dutch.

• What our report looks like: a fully fictitious sample report with the same structure

Counterparty Check or full due diligence?

Counterparty Check	One person and one company in the Netherlands or the United Kingdom. Fixed fee, known in advance. Short written report within 3 to 5 working days.
Tailored due diligence	More persons or companies, other countries, complex ownership structures or an integrity question. A quote beforehand with a fixed price or cost ceiling. Usually one to three weeks.

We only investigate where there is a legitimate interest, such as a planned investment or agreement, and no further than your decision requires.

How it works

• You send us the name of the person and the company, and why you have doubts.
• We confirm that your question fits the Counterparty Check and agree the fixed fee.
• You receive the report within three to five working days, in English or Dutch.

In practice

See how this works in practice in the case study of a fake investor with a passport and bank statement.

• Fake investor exposed: the case study

Frequently asked questions about the Counterparty Check

What does the Counterparty Check cost?

A fixed fee, known before any work begins. We do not state an amount on the site, because we first check whether your question fits the Counterparty Check. You pay the agreed fee, even if something cannot be established; the report then says so, together with what was checked.

How we set the price →

What falls outside the Counterparty Check?

More persons or companies, and countries outside the Netherlands and the United Kingdom: for those, tailored due diligence is available. In every engagement, including due diligence, we use only public and lawfully accessible sources. The Dutch UBO register is not public, so for a Dutch company we establish ownership only as far as this can be done lawfully.

Go to background checks and due diligence →

Can NCRB investigate a business partner or investor without a reason?

No. Only where there is a legitimate interest, such as a planned investment, purchase or agreement, and no further than your decision requires. We work under Wpbr licence POB 1737 and the privacy code of conduct for private investigation agencies, and we document that assessment.

How quickly do I receive the report?

Within three to five working days. When you commission the check, we tell you when to expect the report. You receive it in English or Dutch.