How do I check whether a NatHERS assessor is legitimately accredited?

Search the assessor's name or accreditation number on the public NatHERS Assessor Register at nathers.gov.au. If the person isn't listed, or their accreditation shows as suspended or revoked, treat the certificate as unverified and raise it with the relevant Assessor Accrediting Organisation before relying on it.

Why does a NatHERS rating in Canberra look different from one in Sydney?

The ACT uses its own scheme for existing dwellings, the ACT House Energy Rating Scheme, which scores a property from 0 to 6. The national NatHERS scheme used for new builds and renovations scores from 0 to 10. The two numbers are not directly comparable, and confusing them can make a mediocre rating look stronger than it is.

Is mandatory energy rating disclosure required when I sell or lease a home outside the ACT?

Not yet as a blanket rule. The ACT has required disclosure at sale since 1999. NSW is running a voluntary disclosure trial with mandatory disclosure under consideration from mid-2026 depending on the trial's results, and Victoria has confirmed it is considering a similar mandatory scheme. Elsewhere, NatHERS applies to new-build compliance but not necessarily to point-of-sale disclosure.

What happens to a builder or assessor caught misrepresenting a star rating?

An assessor found to have manipulated inputs or issued a rating without a genuine assessment can have their accreditation suspended or revoked by their AAO following a quality-assurance audit or complaint investigation. Builders whose marketing misrepresents what a rating means can also fall within the scope of the Australian Consumer Law's prohibition on false or misleading representations, an area the ACCC has flagged as an enforcement priority for environmental and energy claims.

Does a 7-star NatHERS rating replace a Whole-of-Home energy assessment under NCC 2022?

No. NCC 2022 introduced the 7-star thermal performance minimum alongside a separate Whole-of-Home energy budget covering appliances, hot water, and on-site energy generation. A certificate showing only the star rating without Whole-of-Home data is incomplete for full NCC 2022 compliance purposes in jurisdictions that have adopted both requirements.

Can a genuine ASIC extract still be fraudulent?

Yes, when it results from a registry-level identity hijack — a fraudulent officeholder or address change lodged against a real company. The extract is technically authentic, so catching this means reviewing the change history for unexplained recent updates, not just checking the extract looks correct.

What is the fastest way to check if an ASIC extract is genuine?

Purchase a fresh extract through ASIC Connect and compare every material field — ACN, officeholders, registered office, share structure — against the document received. This takes only a few minutes and catches fabricated, tampered, and most AI-generated documents.

Do all Australian companies have a written constitution?

No. Many proprietary companies rely entirely on the replaceable rules in the Corporations Act 2001 rather than adopting a written constitution, and where one exists it is not always fully retrievable through a standard search. This makes the ASIC extract, not the constitution, the document most KYB checks rely on.

Does the director ID requirement stop this fraud?

It reduces one risk — appointing a wholly fabricated person as director — but not fraudulent lodgements against existing companies or document-level tampering. Independent register checks and change-history review remain necessary regardless of a director's verified ID.

Is presenting a forged ASIC extract a criminal offence in Australia?

Yes. Lodging a document with ASIC known to be false or misleading is an offence under section 1308 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), and using a forged document to induce a business decision separately exposes the fraudster to fraud offences under state and territory law.

All articles

Industry

Industry insights and use cases by sector.

Industry

Fake NatHERS Certificates: Spot a Fraudulent Energy Rating

Fake ASIC Company Extracts: Detecting KYB Fraud in Australia

Fake RCM Certificates and Supplier Compliance Fraud in Australia

Fake Home Warranty Insurance Certificates: How to Spot One

Fake Diploma Detection: How AI Spots Forged Degrees

Fake Confirmation of Enrolment: Student Fraud Detection in Australia

Fake Bank Cheque Scams: How to Spot Them Before You Lose Out

Fake Car Repair Invoices: How Australian Insurers Spot Them

Fake Vaccination Certificates: How Australian Healthcare Employers Detect Fraud

Fake Roadworthy Certificate Detection: Spotting Forged Vehicle Safety Checks

Fake Marriage Certificate: Detecting Fraud in Australia

Fake Solar and Battery Rebate Claims: Spotting STC Document Fraud

Fake Rent Receipts: Spotting Forged Rental Payment History

Fake Driver Documents: Rideshare Fraud in Australia

Fake Reference Letters: How to Detect Recruitment Fraud in Australia

How to Detect a Fake Bank Statement Used as Proof of Income

Fake Receipt Return Fraud Detection: Australian Retailer Guide

Fake Bank Guarantees and SBLC Fraud in Australian B2B Financing

Fake Professional Certifications and Licences: How Australian Employers Detect Them

Property Title Fraud: How Australian Owners Detect It

Fake Guarantor Documents: The Rental Fraud Landlords Miss

Fake Power of Attorney Fraud: Detection and Australian Law

Fake Freelancer Income Proof: Detecting AI-Forged ATO Documents

Fake Employment Verification Letter Fraud Detection Guide (Australia)

Fake ASIC Company Extracts in KYB Onboarding

Fake Birth Certificates in Australia: The Breeder Document Risk

Fake Prescriptions and Health Insurance Reimbursement Fraud

Fake Financial Statements: How Business Loan Fraud Works in Australia

Fake Australian Passport Detection: Forgery and AI Signals

Invoice Factoring Fraud in Australia: How Factors Detect Fake Invoices

Fake Rego Papers and PPSR Gaps: Detecting Auto Loan Fraud

Fake ImmiCard Detection: Visa Fraud in AUSTRAC KYC and Rentals

Equipment Finance Fraud: Fake Invoices in Australia

Fake Proof of Payment: Detecting Forged Transfer Confirmations

Verify Bank Account Numbers: BSB, Account Number

Fake National Police Check Detection AI: Spotting Forged Certificates

Fake Employment Contract Detection: Lending Fraud in Australia 2026

Fake Green Slip Detection: CTP Insurance Fraud in Australia

Fake Death Certificates in Life Insurance Fraud (Australia)

Fake Driving Licence Detection: Spotting Forged UK Cards

Fake Home Loan Documents: How Lenders Detect Fraud in 2026

Training Certificate Fraud Detection: An Australian Guide

Fake Bank Details Fraud: Spotting Payment Redirection Scams

Fake AI-Generated Proof of Address: Australia Detection and Compliance

Fake Proof of Funds in Australian Property Deals: Detection Guide

Fake Medical Certificates in Australia: Detecting Fraud

Fake Expense Receipts Fraud Detection AI: Australia Guide

Fake Payslip Detection: AI Fraud in Australian Consumer Lending 2026

Auto Insurance Claim Deepfake Detection: 2026 Guide for Australian Insurers

Retail Banking KYC: Preventing Deepfake Selfies and Synthetic Identity Fraud

Maritime Compliance in Australia: Vessel Certificates, Crew Verification and Port State Control

Luxury Goods Authentication: Combating Counterfeits with Document Verification

NGO Compliance in Australia: Donor Due Diligence and AUSTRAC Reporting

Clinical Trial Document Verification in Australia: TGA, HREC and ICH E6 Requirements

AI Bank Fraud Detection: Forged Statements and Identity Proofs

AI Insurance Fraud Detection: Spotting AI-Generated Claim Documents

Government ID Verification in Australia: myGovID, AUSTRAC and Digital Identity Programs

HACCP, ISO 22000 and Food Safety Compliance: Document Management Guide for Australian Businesses

Patient Identity Verification in Australian Healthcare: Privacy Act, My Health Record, and Best Practices

Pharmaceutical Compliance Documentation in Australia: TGA, GMP and GxP Requirements

Work Visa Verification for Australian Employers: VEVO Guide 2026

Student Identity Verification in Australia: Preventing Diploma Fraud

Payment Fraud Prevention: Document Verification for Australian Fintechs

Accounting Firms: Automate Document Checks

Construction Compliance Software in Australia

Case study: an insurer reduces claims processing by 12 days with CheckFile

HR Doc Verification: Qualification Checks and Right

Insurance Document Fraud Detection: Claims & Compliance

Bank Customer Onboarding: Doc Verification and KYC

Accountant Document Compliance: Verification Guide

AML Compliance Software for Accountants: Due Diligence

Automated KYC for Law Firms: Client Onboarding and AML Compliance

Public Sector: Automating Document Verification

KYC for Lawyers: AML & Verification

JP & Solicitor Identity Check: Digital Transformation

Rental Fraud: Detecting Fake Tenant Applications

Motor dealer document compliance: vehicle registration

Medical Credential Verification: GMC, NMC Registers and Healthcare Accreditations

Tenant Screening Document Verification Guide