Hiring a trade through Checkatrade
Checkatrade vets its trades, which catches most cowboys, but it doesn't catch invoice fraud — where a real trade's account is compromised or impersonated.
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We attach it to your report so you have a record of what was advertised next to the bank-account check.
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Next: pick the level of check, then we'll collect the bank details from the seller.
In 2025, over £1.2 billion was stolen by fraudsters in the UK, according to UK Finance. Verify before you pay.
What we check
4 checks across the UK's most-trusted data sources, run in under 30 seconds.
Confirmation of Payee
Bank account matches the payee name
Companies House
Company registered & active
VAT verification
VAT number valid
Seller Reviews
Reputation on Google, Trustpilot & more
The biggest risk on a Checkatrade-found trade isn't the trade themselves — it's that the invoice you've been emailed to pay might not actually be from them. Always verify the bank details before sending money.
Tips before you transfer
Verify the bank details against the trade's profile
Trades list business names on Checkatrade. Run CoP and Companies House — the bank account should match.
Call the number on Checkatrade — not the invoice
If anything's changed about the payment details, ring the trade on the number listed on their Checkatrade profile to confirm directly.
Watch for 'updated bank details' emails
Mid-job changes to payment details are the classic invoice-redirection scam. Treat any such email as suspicious until verbally confirmed.
Pay in stages
For larger jobs, split payments into milestones tied to completed work — never pay the full balance up front.
Common scam patterns
- Compromised email account: a real trade's invoice rerouted to a scammer's bank
- Lookalike domains (tradename-payments.com vs tradename.com)
- Trade impersonator with fake Checkatrade listing or scraped reviews
- 'Materials up front' demand far exceeding the actual cost
UK marketplaces compared
Buyer protection and top scam pattern for each of the six UK marketplaces we cover.
| Marketplace | Buyer protection | Off-platform payment | Top scam pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Marketplace | None | Standard — bank transfer / cash | Bank account name mismatch |
| eBay | Money Back Guarantee (on-platform payments) | Common when sellers push direct payment | Fake 'second-chance offer' emails |
| Gumtree | None | Standard | Reused photos from other listings |
| AutoTrader | Trader-listed only (private sales unprotected) | Standard for private sales | Shipping middleman for a car that doesn't exist |
| Checkatrade | Trade vetting; no payment cover | Standard — direct to the trade | Compromised email — invoice bank details swapped |
| Preloved | None | Standard | Recently created seller account, no history |
Frequently asked
- How do I check if a seller on Checkatrade is genuine?
- Run the bank account they've given you through Confirmation of Payee — a mismatch between the account holder name and the seller is the strongest fraud signal you'll get. If they're trading as a company, cross-check the number against Companies House and confirm any VAT number with HMRC. All three checks run in under a minute at whoamipaying?.
- What are the biggest scams on Checkatrade?
- Compromised email account: a real trade's invoice rerouted to a scammer's bank. Lookalike domains (tradename-payments.com vs tradename.com) These patterns show up on almost every UK marketplace — the platform-specific twist is usually how the seller pressures you off-platform or asks for direct bank transfer.
- Is it safe to pay by bank transfer on Checkatrade?
- Bank transfer offers no built-in buyer protection — once the money's sent it's rarely recoverable, even if fraud is proven later. If you have to use it, verify the payee bank account matches the seller's name first. For higher-value items, use a card or an escrow service so Section 75 / chargeback rights apply.
- What should I do if I've already paid a scammer?
- Contact your bank immediately to attempt a recall on the transfer, then report the fraud to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040 or actionfraud.police.uk) and to the platform. The faster you act, the higher the chance your bank can freeze the funds under the Contingent Reimbursement Model.
- Does whoamipaying? cost anything to try?
- The first check is £2.50 with no account required. Multi-check packs bring the cost down to £1.43 per check, and business accounts get volume rates from around £0.70. There's no subscription — you top up when you need to.
Related reading
Verify before you transfer
Enter the bank details from the invoice and we'll show you what we can verify in seconds. No account needed to pay.
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