Preventing Fraud Before It Happens

A rapidly expanding digital marketing agency, a London-based digital agency, scaled quickly after the pandemic, onboarding freelance contractors, third-party vendors, and overseas partners to handle international campaigns. The pace of growth created pressure to approve vendors rapidly, with limited due diligence.
 

Leadership grew concerned about the possibility of fraudulent or unstable suppliers—especially overseas entities that looked impressive online but had little verifiable trading history.

Using AlertFlag

• Ran detailed company checks on every new vendor before onboarding.
• Used director-history data to identify individuals linked to dissolved or failed firms.
• Turned on Social Track-style monitoring to review online presence and spot thin or suspicious profiles.
• Used global company coverage to verify non-UK vendors.

Outcome

Within the first quarter of using AlertFlag, identified three proposed vendors whose directors had a track record of disqualified roles and liquidated companies. The agency declined to work with them, avoiding potential non-delivery of services and reputational damage with key clients.
 

The agency now promotes its vendor-screening process as part of its pitch, reassuring large brands that every subcontractor is properly risk-checked.