London, November 1, 2023
Vertu Motors, Britain’s third-largest car dealership, is seeking a court injunction following a shocking incident where its official Companies House records were manipulated. The falsified records purported that several directors had resigned, and two fictional new board members, including a certain ‘Mr. Ice Crystal Augustus,’ had been appointed in their place.
Vertu Motors promptly issued a statement clarifying that the changes were the work of a ‘malicious actor’ and assured investors that none of the reported alterations had legally occurred. The affected directors, including Chief Financial Officer Karen Anderson and Chief Operations Officer David Crane, were falsely listed as having their appointments terminated on the fraudulent form.
In response to this incident, Vertu Motors is actively working to rectify the situation. The company is liaising with Companies House to correct the public records, while simultaneously seeking a court injunction to prevent any further unauthorized changes. The organization is also collaborating with Companies House to investigate the breach and determine how the malicious actor gained access to the systems.
The incident has raised concerns about the security and integrity of Companies House records, prompting Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake to address the issue. Hollinrake emphasized the government’s commitment to cracking down on fraudulent activities that exploit the system. He stated, “This country has been fair game for criminals who abuse our system to register fraudulent companies for far too long.”
This incident follows recent reports that shed light on the vulnerabilities within Companies House, where individuals discovered their home addresses registered as unknown businesses’ addresses. The company, responsible for maintaining accurate records of all businesses in the UK, has come under scrutiny due to these breaches.
Companies House has yet to provide an official comment on the matter, leaving both Vertu Motors and the public awaiting an explanation for the security lapse. Vertu Motors’ swift response in seeking legal action demonstrates the seriousness of the situation and the need for robust measures to safeguard corporate records from unauthorized tampering. Investors and stakeholders alike are closely monitoring the developments as the investigation unfolds.
