Companies House and Publicly Disclosing Directors Date of Birth

Premier_2

loveandlight wrote: »

...I know on the annual paper returns it used to clearly say if you gave your DOB it would be publicly disclosed....

loveandlight wrote: »

... The point you're missing is that you could choose for your DOB to be kept off the public record when it was a paper filing so I think a boo boo has happened with this Companies House new online filing stuff...

I've just taken a look at the paper copy we submitted for our compnay from about 10 years ago. I don't see anything on there to suggest the possibility of keeping the dob off the public record. :huh:

As Pennywise said, my understanding is that you always had to disclose your dob when registering as a director (perhaps its so that others can prove it's you?) and that those details are available from companies house.

My dob has been registered with them for over 10 years and I've not been the victim of identity theft from it yet.
I also carry a company identification card around whilst working for a particular client, it is openly displayed, and that too clearly displays my date of birth.

loveandlight

I've been filing my company details for the past 9 years and my paper copy clearly gives you a choice of whether you want it put on public record or not. It doesn't mean you don't have to give it, just that it won't be made public record. Until now my DOB has never been disclosed and therefore has not been splashed all over the internet.

Like I said before, if it doesn't bother you then that's fine but I'm in the camp where it does bother me and therefore I will need to do something about it tomorrow.

Premier_2

loveandlight wrote: »

I've been filing my company details for the past 9 years and my paper copy clearly gives you a choice of whether you want it put on public record or not. It doesn't mean you don't have to give it, just that it won't be made public record. Until now my DOB has never been disclosed and therefore has not been splashed all over the internet.

Like I said before, if it doesn't bother you then that's fine but I'm in the camp where it does bother me and therefore I will need to do something about it tomorrow.

9 years ago you say?

Ok just dug our my return from 2002. Still can't see where it says you have a choice on whether or not to disclose your dob :huh:
Perhaps you could point me to the relevent section?

Also I have a copy of form 288a (Appointment of Director or Secretary) from that year (April 2002) That also asks for your dob (director only) ... and a copy of that would also have been available from companies house.

I think you are getting too worked up over nothing. If you have been a director for 9 years , your dob has been available from companies house for 9 years ... and any evidence of identification theft resulting yet?

olly300

Premier wrote: »

I think you are getting too worked up over nothing. If you have been a director for 9 years , your dob has been available from companies house for 9 years ... and any evidence of identification theft resulting yet?

Agreed.

The entire point of directors' details being available is so you don't rip others off particularly if they are consumers. It also stops two or more people with the same name being confused particularly if a director is being struck off.

BTW A friend and myself worked out identify theft is really easy. Depending what crime you plan to commit you don't need to know someone's date of birth. So if I really wanted your ID I could easily do so particularly as the credit reference agencies are a law onto themselves.

Pennywise

loveandlight wrote: »

he point you're missing is that you could choose for your DOB to be kept off the public record when it was a paper filing so I think a boo boo has happened with this Companies House new online filing stuff.

Nope, the directors appointment form (form 288a) that's been used for years to notify appointment of directors has required the directors DOB. I've got files going back at least 15 years with both 288a forms and company searches showing directors DOBs. Co House would return the 288a if the dob field wasn't completed.

Are you getting confused with the annual return or the appointment form for company secretary (where dob was optional). The annual return is merely a confirmation of the directors details - so you wouldn't have to enter it again - it would have been put on public record when you were first appointed as a director.

If you look at Companies House and search your company then "order documents" you can see all the filings over the years - spend £1 and look at the form 288a for your initial appointment - it will show your dob.

David42

I had two mail order shopping accounts opened in my name. The first question the mail order company fraud department asked me when I contacted them was whether my details were listed with Companies House. They said they were seeing a pattern of fraudulent accounts opened using details obtained from Companies House.

So I asked Companies House for advice to protect my identity. They suggested using a service address but they said there was no way to withhold my name or date of birth.

CKhalvashi

David42 wrote: »

I had two mail order shopping accounts opened in my name. The first question the mail order company fraud department asked me when I contacted them was whether my details were listed with Companies House. They said they were seeing a pattern of fraudulent accounts opened using details obtained from Companies House.

This doesn't actually surprise me at all. It hasn't happened to us, however I know that there is plenty of info available on all directors online.

So I asked Companies House for advice to protect my identity. They suggested using a service address but they said there was no way to withhold my name or date of birth.

We use a foreign service address for this purpose (one which happens to be in our home country), which should hopefully route out anything like this, and means that there's little crap coming through either my letterbox, or that of the relatives property, however as a local Cllr (many Cllrs are company directors), my address can be found, and from this year, we're not allowed to use 'c/o *** Council' as an address unfortunately, meaning that I will have to remain less anonymous, unfortunately.

CK