If you have received a letter recently about renewing your company registration or completing an annual review, stop before you pay anything.
A number of Australian business owners are receiving official-looking correspondence from third-party companies with names like "Registry Australia" and "Registration" - designed to look like they have come from ASIC. They haven't. And you are not required to pay them a cent.
ASIC published an alert on 22 May 2026 warning companies and business name holders about exactly this type of unsolicited correspondence.
What These Letters Look Like
These letters are convincing. They arrive by post or email, reference your actual company name and ABN, include a review date, and quote a fee - typically between $449 and $495. Some offer a discount for early payment to create urgency.
They use professional branding, government-adjacent language, and include payment options via credit card, BPAY, and QR codes.
At a glance, they look like a bill. They are not.
The fine print - often buried at the very bottom - states something along the lines of: "This is not a review notice issued by ASIC. This is not a bill. You are not required to pay any money."
But by the time most people get there, the damage is done. The letter has done its job of creating enough concern that many business owners pay without questioning it.
Who Is Sending These Letters?
The companies behind these notices are private, third-party service providers. Some may be legitimate ASIC registered agents - meaning they can technically perform company review tasks on your behalf - but only if you have specifically authorised them to do so.
What they cannot do is send unsolicited correspondence that creates the misleading impression it has come from ASIC.
ASIC has been clear: these providers are not ASIC. Any company that contacts you out of the blue about a review or renewal without prior authorisation is not acting on ASIC's behalf, regardless of how official the letter looks. ASIC has published a full update on this issue - you can read it in detail here.
How to Tell the Difference
Knowing what genuine ASIC correspondence looks like is your first line of defence.
Genuine ASIC communication:
- Comes from an email address ending in @asic.gov.au
- Directs you to complete transactions through ASIC Connect or the Company Officeholder Portal
- Charges only the published ASIC fee - no additional service fees on top
- Is sent to your registered agent, your online ASIC account, or your nominated company address
Signs a letter may not be from ASIC:
- It comes from a company with a name like "Registry", "Registration", or similar
- It quotes a fee significantly higher than ASIC's published rates
- It offers a discount for early payment or uses urgent language
- It references a review date that is not yet due
- The fine print clarifies it is not a bill and payment is optional
When in doubt, log in to ASIC Connect directly or call ASIC on 1300 300 630 to confirm whether a review is actually due.
What to Do If You Receive One
The action here is simple.
1. Do not pay. These letters are not bills. You have no obligation to pay a third-party provider you did not engage.
2. Do not call the number on the letter. Contacting the sender may result in you being signed up for ongoing services you did not request.
3. Dispose of the letter. If it arrived by post, it can go straight in the bin. If it arrived by email, delete it.
4. Check your actual ASIC obligations separately. If you are unsure whether your company review or business name renewal is genuinely due, log in to ASIC Connect or contact your registered agent directly. Your genuine annual review fee is published on the ASIC website and will be significantly lower than what these letters are charging.
5. Report it to ASIC if you choose. If you believe you have received misleading correspondence, you can submit an online enquiry through the ASIC website.
If you have already paid one of these fees, contact your bank promptly to discuss your options.
Why This Keeps Happening
These letters work because they tap into a real concern. Company annual reviews are a genuine compliance obligation. Missing them does carry consequences. The people sending these letters know that business owners are busy, that compliance deadlines can sneak up, and that a letter referencing your actual company details feels credible.
The best protection is simply knowing the process. ASIC will always contact you through official channels. It will never pressure you with early payment discounts or urgency tactics. And it will never charge you more than its published fees.
The Bottom Line
If a letter arrives claiming your company review is due and asking you to pay a fee to a third-party website - do not pay it, do not call them, and do not engage.
Your actual ASIC obligations can be managed directly through ASIC Connect, through your registered agent, or through us. If you are ever unsure whether a notice is genuine, the simplest thing to do is forward it to our team before you take any action.
Get in touch with the Trekk Advisory team if you have received a letter you are unsure about, or if you want to make sure your actual company review obligations are being managed correctly.
Disclaimer: Trekk Advisory provides accountant-led tax, bookkeeping, and advisory services for Australian business owners. This article is general in nature and does not constitute personal advice. Please speak with a qualified adviser regarding your specific circumstances.
