Protect your company against hijacking
The page was last modified:Company hijacking can affect both businesses and associations. The risk is small, but if you are affected, the consequences can be huge. By noticing early signals, getting a digital mailbox, and using The Swedish Companies Registration Office´s (Bolagsverket) app, you can discover an attempted hijacking in time.
What is a company hijacking?
Company hijacking is done by someone obtaining the right to represent your company on false grounds. The purpose is to withdraw money, buy goods through your company, or using it for other fraudulent activities.
For example, someone can report that they are a member of the company board or authorised signatory for your company. This person can begin signing agreements, ordering goods, emptying accounts, and acting on behalf of your company.
Film: Get a digital mailbox
This video is in Swedish but you can choose English subtitles. First you have to play the video and then click on the gear for settings in the Youtube menu. Select Undertexter and then Engelska. (Length: 1 minute.)
How can I protect my company against being hijacked?
The best way of protecting yourself against hijacking is getting a digital mailbox. That way, you will be notified by The Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket) via text message or e-mail when a change is made to your company board information or a new address is registered. This lets your act quickly and prevent the registration of false information. The digital mailbox allows you to collect correspondence not only from The Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket) but from other government agencies which use the service in one place.
You can also use The Swedish Companies Registration Office's (Bolagsverket) app to keep up to date about your company. The app allows you to easily follow the company’s events and see if, for example, a new board member or address has been added. You can log in at anytime using e-identification. You can download the app from the App Store or Google Play.
Warning signs
- Notifications regarding new board members or addresses which have not been requested by the company.
- Mail that goes missing.
- Goods deliveries that go missing.
- Credit check notifications which you did not anticipate.
- Order confirmations or invoices for things that you have not ordered.
If you are the victim of a company hijacking
- Act quickly if something seems strange and you suspect that false information has been registered.
- Contact The Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket), who will check who submitted the new information. +46 (0)771-670670 or e-mail: bolagsverket@bolagsverket.se.
- File a police report and send a copy of the police report to The Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket).
- If false information has been registered, you should immediately submit a correction at verksamt.se/andra uppgifter.
- Contact your bank, your suppliers, customers, and partners to confirm what has happened.
Responsible: Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth