How SmartChecker works

Regulatory records

On company pages we identify the legal entity and link to the official register or alert that supports a claim. Labuan FSA Malaysia and the Securities Commission Malaysia are different regulators; a licence from one does not grant the other's permissions. A licence belongs to the named entity and activities, not every business using a similar brand.

We record when a source was checked. Registers can change, so open the linked regulator record before relying on a status. Absence from an alert list is not proof of safety, and an alert or enforcement action against a related or similarly named entity is not automatically a finding against the company on the page. See how to verify a record.

Names, alerts and corrections

We compare exact legal names, former names and identifiers before linking records. Similar names alone are not enough. Where we cannot establish that two names refer to the same legal entity, we say so rather than merge their histories.

We attribute regulatory actions to the authority, entity, date and outcome reported by the source. Proposed action is described as proposed, and a clone warning is kept separate from the legitimate business it imitates. If a record is wrong or out of date, use our correction request; we check the source and document the change.

Member reviews and ratings

Reviews describe a person's own service experience. They are separate from register facts and from SmartChecker writing. We check submissions against our review guidelines, including rules on personal information, paid reviews and allegations of crime. Reviews brought in from another site are labelled with their source.

A displayed rating summarises the reviews shown for that company. It measures reported service experience, not investment safety, suitability or future returns. A company cannot pay to change a rating or remove a review that follows our rules.

SmartChecker reviews, visits and measurements

Our own company reviews are editorial opinion, signed by the writer and fact-checked where the page says so. We distinguish strengths, regulatory history and unresolved questions, and identify which legal entity each finding concerns. They are not endorsements or guarantees.

Field visits and measured figures state what was observed, when, where and how. A visit does not establish that a company is safe to use. A measurement describes the tested conditions; it does not predict the next result.

News, guides and investment ideas

News links identify the original publisher. We do not present another publisher's reporting as SmartChecker fact-checking or endorsement. Our guides explain how to evaluate claims; investment ideas are reading material, not personal recommendations or instructions to trade.

Market figures and sentiment

The Dow, S&P 500, NASDAQ and KLCI figures on the home page are entered by an administrator. They are snapshots, not a live market feed; check a current market source before acting on them.

Bullish vs Bearish is a manually entered editorial score from 0 to 100. Its earlier readings are entered separately. It is not CNN's Fear & Greed Index, an automated calculation or a trading signal. The detail page explains the ranges and shows the last update time.

Community discussion

Community includes member posts and comments as well as posts or comments created or edited by site administrators. A displayed author name may not belong to a registered member. Community content is discussion, not a verified company record or a SmartChecker editorial conclusion. Moderators can review reports and remove content under the community rules; a post may also be edited or removed.

Independence and advertising

SmartChecker is independent of the companies and regulators it covers. We sell clearly labelled advertising space. Payment does not buy a place in the directory, a register status, a rating, a review or editorial wording. Our advertising rules explain where banners can appear and how conflicts are kept apart.

What this information can and cannot tell you

SmartChecker does not give investment, financial, tax or legal advice. We do not label a company a scam or guarantee that a licensed company is safe. Use the source links, check the exact entity serving you, and consider the limits of each type of information before making a decision.