Is This Business a Scam? How to Check If a Company Is Legit

Before you hand over money or sign a contract, you need to know if the business is real. Here is the step-by-step method to check, and how Cortex AIF does it automatically with code-verified evidence.

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The real steps to check if a business is legit

Start with the company registry. Look up the business on OpenCorporates or Companies House to confirm it exists, has a registered address, and is not dissolved. Cross-check the website's address and phone number against the registry. Then check domain history: how old is the site? A brand-new domain with a long-claimed history is a red flag. Finally, read reviews on multiple platforms, but treat them as clues, not proof. Reviews can be bought or faked. No single source gives you the full picture.

If you want a faster, more reliable answer, you need a tool that checks all these sources at once and compares them. That is what Cortex AIF does.

Why 'looks legit' is not the same as 'is legit'

A professional website, a BBB accreditation badge, or a Trustpilot rating can all be gamed. Paid 'Verified' badges and fake reviews are common. Scammers invest in appearances. The only way to know for sure is to verify each claim against an independent, authoritative source. Cortex AIF does exactly that: it pulls the checkable claims from the business's own website and checks them against real registries, SEC filings, domain history, and review databases.

How Cortex does it - code is the judge, not the model

Cortex AIF is not an LLM that guesses or makes up sources. It is a verification engine. Python code extracts specific claims (like 'registered in Delaware since 2015' or 'BBB A+ rated') and checks each one against a live, independent source. The code assigns a status: VERIFIED, PARTIALLY_VERIFIED, UNVERIFIED, or CONTRADICTED. Any number or fact that cannot be proven is dropped, never invented. The output is a clear GO / NO-GO with a per-claim evidence table you can inspect.

What you get from Cortex that you cannot get from ChatGPT or paid badges

ChatGPT answers from old, mixed-up memory. It cannot open a live company registry or check a domain's creation date. It might reassure you with plausible-sounding facts that are completely fabricated. Paid badges and review scores are self-reported or easily manipulated. Cortex gives you independent, code-checked evidence that cannot be flattered or faked. You see exactly which claims passed and which failed, with links to the sources.

What Cortex does not do

Cortex does not give opinions, probabilities, or 'trust scores'. It does not use a checklist of generic red flags. It does not invent numbers or success rates. It only reports what can be proven from real sources. If a claim cannot be verified, it is marked UNVERIFIED. If it contradicts a source, it is CONTRADICTED. You decide what to do with that information.

Try it yourself

Enter any business website or name into Cortex AIF. Within seconds, you will see a GO / NO-GO verdict with a detailed breakdown of each claim and the source that verified or contradicted it. No fluff, no hype, just evidence.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I trust a business that has a BBB accreditation badge?

Not by itself. BBB accreditation can be paid for and does not guarantee a business is legitimate. Always verify the accreditation against the BBB's own database and cross-check with other sources like company registries and domain history.

Is checking a company on OpenCorporates enough?

No. A company registry confirms the business exists legally, but it does not tell you about its reputation, domain age, or whether it has scammed people. You need to combine registry data with domain history, review analysis, and other checks for a full picture.

How is Cortex different from asking ChatGPT if a business is a scam?

ChatGPT generates answers from its training data, which may be outdated or incorrect. It cannot access live registries or verify claims in real time. Cortex uses code to check each claim against current, independent sources, so the answer is based on evidence, not memory.

What does a CONTRADICTED status mean?

It means the business made a claim that is directly contradicted by an authoritative source. For example, claiming to be registered in a state where the registry shows no such company. This is a strong red flag and often indicates a scam.