A practical overview of the public and licensed sources worth checking before working together - and what public data simply cannot tell you.
Counterparty verification is not a single query to a register, but a process built from several layers of data. The larger the transaction, the more layers are worth checking - and the more important it is to document where each piece of information comes from.
The starting point is the business registers: KRS for companies and CEIDG for sole proprietorships. From them you establish the entity's status, representation, capital and history of changes.
Financial statements and registration documents show condition, while sanctions and watchlists (e.g. OpenSanctions) show risk signals. A watchlist match always requires manual verification: it is a lead, not a verdict.
Public data can be incomplete and out of date. A good report clearly flags gaps instead of glossing over them.
Public data will not give you a full picture of intent or current liquidity. The result of the analysis supports the decision - the final decision is made by a human.
A relationship graph quickly shows who is connected to whom - but it is easy to over-interpret. A few rules that help read it responsibly.
Matching a name to a watchlist is the start, not the end of the analysis. How to read a screening result and reduce false positives.
A preliminary analysis of an entity before a transaction will not replace full due diligence, but it sets priorities well. We show where the line runs.