Counterfeit certificates and false claims of UKAS accreditation

Independently checking the authenticity of an organisation’s management systems certification is an integral part of the business procurement process. To support businesses in this process, UKAS launched its CertCheck service in June 2022, to provide a quick and easy mechanism to independently check the authenticity of claims regarding accredited management systems certifications.   

Since launching CertCheck, UKAS has become aware of several counterfeit certificates in circulation and/or organisations falsely claiming accreditation or affiliation with UKAS. Such practices pose a risk to procurement bodies and end-users of accredited certification services, as well as reduced confidence in claims of accreditation.  

You can find out more information on the steps you can take to validate management systems certification on our “How to differentiate the fake from the valid” guidance. This page also highlights potential signs of counterfeit certificates not issued by UKASs or by an accreditation body that is a signatory of an IAF or EA MLA. 

The TIC Council has also launched an Anti-counterfeiting Action Centre to provide additional visibility and awareness around counterfeit certifications. You can access the TIC Council Anti-counterfeiting Action Centre here (Anti-counterfeiting Action Center :: TIC (tic-council.org) 

In addition to the above, UKAS has taken the decision to publish details of those organisations known to be falsely claiming UKAS accreditation for management systems certification, and who may have issued counterfeit certificates under the guise of UKAS accreditation.  

Those organisations currently known to be falsely claiming UKAS accreditation and/or who have issued counterfeit certificates (containing the UKAS symbols) are detailed below: 

Amazon International Standard Certification (AWS)
No known address but believed to be operating out of China.  

Innover Certification (China) Co., Ltd.
No known address but believed to be operating out of China.  

UK Certification and Assessment Ltd 
This body claims to be affiliated to and accredited by UNITED AKKREDITERING FORUM LTD (UAFL). Neither organisation is linked to or affiliated with UKAS. Operating Address given as 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ, this is a registered office service and not a trading address. The actual office location/address is not known but is believed to be India.  

Huaxian Zhunce International Certification Co., Ltd
No known address but believed to be operating out of China.  

Certification Europe (Hong Kong) Limited 
No known address but believed to be operating out of China.  This company is not linked in any way to Certification Europe (UK) Limited, who held a valid UKAS accreditation up to 22nd November 2021. 

Qida Testing Certification Co. Ltd
No known address but believed to be operating out of China.  

UKAS Saibao System Certification (China) Co., Ltd
Also trades under the name Shanghai Meicheng Technology Information Development Co., Ltd. Claims to be UKAS’s China operation. This is a false claim and UKAS has no office in China. No known address but known to be operating out of China. 

UK INSPEC INTERNATIONAL CO LTD
Claims to have two offices in Taipei and Hong Kong but has no published or known address for its operations. The above organisation is in no way linked to INSPEC International Ltd, UKAS accreditation number 0027 whose head office 56 Leslie Hough Way, Salford, Greater Manchester M6 6AJ, United Kingdom. Details of INSPEC International Ltd’s accreditation can be found via the UKAS “who’s accredited?” area.  

 

Any business in receipt of certificates from the above organisations should treat them with extreme caution, as they are not UKAS accredited and have no affiliation with UKAS.