How to Check if a Company Is Legit (2026)

A company is legit when its state registration is active, its domain age is consistent with its claimed history, and its BBB and Google profiles match its official name and address. No single check proves legitimacy on its own - you need to cross-reference several signals before you pay a deposit or sign a contract. Here are the seven that matter most.

1. State Business Registration

Registration requirements depend on structure and location. The U.S. Small Business Administration notes that LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and nonprofits will probably need state registration, while some sole proprietors may not. Search the seller's legal name in the Secretary of State (or equivalent) business-entity database for the state where they claim to operate, and confirm the status - active, dissolved, or revoked - directly on that record.

2. Domain Age

Use the ICANN registration data lookup to compare a domain's available creation date with the history claimed by the business. A new domain is not proof of misconduct, but a large unexplained mismatch - a site claiming "20 years in business" on a domain registered eight months ago - deserves an additional identity check.

3. Google Business Profile

Check whether the profile's name, address, website, and phone agree with official records. Read a range of reviews rather than relying on the average alone. Google's Maps content policy says paid reviews and unusual contribution patterns can be treated as fake engagement.

4. BBB Accreditation

BBB accreditation, letter grade, customer reviews, and complaints are different signals. BBB says customer reviews are not used in its letter-grade calculation and that a rating is not a guarantee. Read the factors shown on the business profile and verify accreditation separately.

5. Website Legitimacy

Check for SSL (padlock icon), a physical address, phone number, privacy policy, and terms of service. Missing all of these on a professional services website is suspicious.

6. Social Media Presence

A consistent social profile can corroborate identity, but absence is not evidence of fraud. Compare the names, website links, location, and posting history with the business's official records.

7. Search for Complaints

Search for the company name alongside words such as "scam," "review," or "complaint." Treat individual allegations as leads, not verified facts, and confirm consequential claims with the original publisher or official record.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I check if a company is legally registered?

Search the company's legal name in the Secretary of State business-entity database for the state where it claims to operate. Most states publish this search for free and show registration status, formation date, and registered agent.

Is a professional-looking website proof a company is legit?

No. A polished website is inexpensive to build and tells you nothing about registration status, domain age, or complaint history. Treat website quality as one weak signal among the seven above, not a standalone verdict.

What's the fastest way to check multiple signals at once?

Running each check manually across state registries, ICANN, BBB, and Google can take 20-30 minutes per company. A ProofReports search pulls state registration, domain age, BBB, Google, and licensing signals into one ProofScore so you can scan the summary in seconds and dig into any flagged category.

Does a low BBB rating always mean a company is a scam?

Not necessarily. A low grade can reflect unresolved complaints, a short operating history, or missing accreditation rather than fraud. Read the specific factors on the profile and combine them with state registration and domain-age checks before drawing a conclusion - see how ProofReports handles sources for how each signal is weighted.

If several of these checks point the same direction - a registered entity, an aged domain, a matching BBB profile - you can move forward with more confidence. If they conflict, slow down and verify the mismatch directly with the issuing agency before sending money.