Is it normal for a legitimate buyer to refuse to provide their business registration or ABN?
Short answer: No, this is not normal for a genuinely legitimate buyer conducting business transactions — a registered business generally has no reason to withhold this information, since it's public record in most jurisdictions anyway, so a refusal or evasiveness when asked directly is a meaningful warning sign rather than a reasonable privacy concern.
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List Free →Why this information isn’t sensitive to share
Business registration details, including an ABN in Australia, are public record specifically so they can be checked by anyone doing business with that company — this isn’t private or sensitive information in the way personal financial details might be, so there’s little legitimate reason to withhold it.
What refusal or evasiveness might indicate
A genuine business generally shares this information readily since it costs them nothing and is standard practice — hesitation, deflection, or outright refusal when you ask directly suggests either the business doesn’t actually exist as claimed, or there’s some other reason they don’t want to be easily checked.
What to do if a buyer refuses
Treat this as a serious red flag and consider it reasonable grounds to decline the transaction — a legitimate buyer with nothing to hide has no real reason to refuse a request that costs them nothing and is standard due diligence on your part.
How ScrapTrade Makes This Easier
Buyers on ScrapTrade have their business details verified as part of joining the platform, which removes the need to individually request and check this information yourself for every transaction.
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