Verify a company is legitimate: what a verified company is
To verify that a company is legitimate, start with a registry check. A verified company is one whose existence and good standing have been confirmed against an official registry. On LiveRec this is the Verified business badge. To check a company yourself, look it up on its state registry and its own website, and never pay for a job.
A five-step check you can do yourself
- Find the legal name. It is on the job post, the offer or the company site footer.
- Search the state registry. In the US, each state keeps a business entity search, usually on the Secretary of State website. Check that the company exists and is in good standing.
- Compare the details. Address, website domain and contact emails should be consistent with the registry and the company's own site.
- Look for the same job on the company's own careers page. If it is not there, ask why.
- Never pay. A real employer does not charge you to apply, interview or start work.
Warning signs
- A request for money, gift cards or bank details before any offer.
- Interviews held only by text chat, with a rushed offer.
- A free-mail address instead of a company domain.
- Pay that is far above the market for the role.
If something looks wrong, you can choose Report job at the foot of the posting. See report a fake job or read avoiding scams.
What the badge means
The Verified business badge means the company passed LiveRec's registry check. It does not rate the workplace, and it does not guarantee any job. See KYB for what is compared.
Example
Search the state's business registry for the legal name, then compare the website and contact details.