Trading safely on Sitavo: avoid fraud when buying and selling

When you buy or sell a business, you are often dealing with someone you do not know, about a large sum. Sitavo is built so you can trade safely without it becoming heavy: the basics are free and switched on for everyone. This guide is about preventing problems — what Sitavo does, which warning signs to know, and what you should check yourself. If something has already gone wrong, see Help, cases and disputes.

What everyone gets — free

• Verified users: sellers and buyers can verify their identity with a passport or driving licence and a selfie, and the name must match the account. Companies are shown with their CVR number. Others see it as a badge — see Get verified.
• NDA before confidential figures: the seller can require a non-disclosure agreement before exact figures and the data room are shown. The seller approves each buyer, and both receive the signed NDA as a PDF. Without access, the figures are removed on the server, so they cannot be found in the page.
• Controlled data room: documents open only after an NDA, an accepted offer or within a deal. Every view and download is logged, PDFs and images get a watermark with the buyer’s name, and the seller can set expiry and revoke access.
• Protected messages: email and phone number stay hidden until you choose to share your contact details. Messages with typical signs of fraud get a warning, and you can block and report.
• Screened listings: new and edited listings are checked automatically, and high-risk listings are reviewed by Sitavo before they go live. CVR data is monitored, so changes in the company can be spotted along the way.
• Alerts on changed details: if the other party changes their bank details or other key information in a deal, you are notified straight away.
• Secure sharing of logins: the seller can share a demo login that is encrypted, visible only to the buyer and expires after 24 hours, 48 hours or 7 days.
• Auctions with rules: bids of DKK 500,000 or more require a verified identity, and bids from the same device as the seller are investigated.

When more is at stake — your choice

• Sitavo’s agreements: if the seller has chosen «Use Sitavo’s agreements», you get a purchase agreement, asset list and transfer declaration filled in with the deal’s details at no charge. Otherwise you can choose the deal package (DKK 1,295 or DKK 3,295 per deal, can be split 50/50) with a due diligence checklist and handover plan.
• An adviser in the deal: both parties can invite their lawyer, accountant or broker. The adviser can read and prepare but can never accept offers, sign, pay or change the account. See Advisers on Sitavo.
• Escrow: for larger amounts the buyer can pay into escrow, for example with a lawyer, who releases the money when the conditions are met. You choose it as the payment method in the deal.
• Verified figures: Sitavo checks the seller’s key figures against documentation and shows them with a badge. Included in the Premium listing package.

What Sitavo does not do

• We do not hold the purchase price. The buyer pays directly to the seller or through escrow you arrange yourselves. Sitavo cannot reverse a transfer.
• Agreements are accepted electronically. NDAs, letters of intent and agreements are stored with time, name, IP address and a fingerprint of the exact text. It is not a MitID signature.
• «Paid» is the parties’ own confirmation. The buyer registers the payment, and the seller confirms receipt. Sitavo does not see the bank transfer.
• We do not guarantee the figures in a listing. Verification is about who someone is. You must check the figures yourself — unless they are marked as verified.

Keep communication on Sitavo

• Write to each other in Sitavo’s messages and in the deal thread. That way both parties have a record of what was agreed, which can be used if it ends in a dispute.
• Be careful if the other party quickly wants to move the conversation to WhatsApp, Telegram or private email — or wants to trade «outside» the platform.
• If a message looks suspicious, we show a discreet warning above it. The message is not blocked, so use your own judgement.
• Never share passwords in ordinary messages. Use Share demo login, so access is encrypted and expires by itself.

Warning signs when buying a business

• The price is well below similar businesses, and the seller is in a great hurry.
• The seller will not show documentation — or only screenshots and spreadsheets that cannot be checked against accounts or bank statements.
• Payment is requested in cryptocurrency, gift cards, to a foreign account without good reason, or to someone other than the seller or the seller’s company.
• The account is brand new, with no reviews and no verification, and the listing looks copied from elsewhere.
• Someone asks for MitID codes, sends links to login pages, or wants to «overpay» and have the difference back.
• For a physical business: the seller will not show the premises, the lease or proof of who owns the fixtures and equipment.

Checklist before you pay

• Go through the figures in the data room, and ask for read access to bank, bookkeeping, payment provider or analytics tools. Use the due diligence checklist as a starting point.
• Check ownership: who owns the domain and the accounts, and who is listed in the CVR register? For a physical business: who is the tenant, and are the fixtures owned or leased?
• Follow the deal steps, and confirm the agreement before the bank details are shown. See the deal process step by step.
• Only pay to an account in the name of the seller or the seller’s company, or to an escrow arrangement you have agreed — and consider splitting the payment so part is paid after the handover.
• If the seller changes the bank details along the way, call the seller and confirm the new account before you pay. Sitavo never changes bank details by email or message.
• For larger deals: invite your lawyer or accountant into the deal so they can read the documents too.

As a seller

• Require an NDA before sharing sensitive figures and customer information. See visibility and NDA.
• Do not hand over the domain, logins, keys or stock until the payment is in your own account or confirmed by the escrow agent — not on the basis of a receipt or a screenshot.
• Be sceptical of buyers who want to see everything but will not say who they are or how the purchase is financed.
• If you offer payment in instalments, use the loan agreement in the deal, and agree security for the outstanding amount.

Report and block

Use Report conversation in the message or Report listing on the listing — we review the report within 24 hours, and the person reported is not told who reported them. You can also block a user so you can no longer message, bid or send requests to each other. If you disagree in an ongoing deal, open a case from the deal — see Help, cases and disputes. If you have been defrauded, also report it to the police.