How to Verify a Supplier ABN on Your Phone — Gumshoe Mobile Guide

Verify a supplier in under 60 seconds — from your phone

You don't need to be at a desk to run a supplier check. Gumshoe is fully optimised for mobile — the same 35+ government data sources, the same scoring engine, delivered in a format that works with your thumb.

Here's exactly how to do it.

Step 1: Open Gumshoe

Go to gumshoe.au in your mobile browser. Safari on iPhone and Chrome on Android both work perfectly. You can add Gumshoe to your home screen for one-tap access:

• iPhone: Tap the Share icon → "Add to Home Screen"
• Android: Tap the three-dot menu → "Add to Home Screen" or "Install App"

Once installed, it opens like a native app — full screen, no browser chrome.

Step 2: Find the ABN

You need the supplier's ABN. It should be on their invoice, quote, or website footer. 11 digits, usually formatted as XX XXX XXX XXX — enter it with or without spaces.

Tip: If you only have a company name, type it in the search bar. Gumshoe will find the matching ABN for you.

Step 3: Run the verification

On mobile, you'll see a large "Verify ABN" button at the bottom of the screen — that's the fastest path. Tap it, type or paste the ABN, and tap Verify.

Results load progressively over about 15–20 seconds as each of the 35+ checks completes. You'll see tiles appearing one by one — the fastest (ABN, GST, ASIC) come first; the slower ones (Phone, Street View, reputation) come last.

Step 4: Read the results

On mobile, each check appears as a card. Tap any card to expand it and see the full detail — what was checked, the exact result, and the data source.

At the top, the Assurance Score (0–100) gives you an instant read:

• 85+: Strong. Everything checks out. Proceed with standard controls.
• 60–84: Moderate. One or more WARNs. Read the tile detail — most are explainable.
• Below 60: Elevated risk. One or more FAILs. Investigate before paying.

Step 5: Act on what you see

PASS tiles (green): Confirmed from official source. No action required.

WARN tiles (amber): Something warrants a question. Common examples:

• New ABN (under 6 months) — ask the supplier how long they've been operating
• Missing DMARC — their email domain can be spoofed; use caution with payment instructions
• Young website — ask for their previous domain or trading history

FAIL tiles (red): A hard signal that requires attention before you proceed. Don't pay an invoice with a FAIL on ABN Status, ASIC Company, or Phoenix Pattern without getting a clear explanation.

Save and revisit

If you're logged in, every verification is automatically saved to your Dashboard. You can come back to it later, add notes, or download a PDF report — all from your phone.

No account? Create a free account — it takes 30 seconds and your results start saving immediately.

The fastest mobile workflow

1. Receive invoice → copy ABN
2. Open Gumshoe (home screen shortcut) → paste ABN → Verify
3. Check score + any red/amber tiles
4. Approve or query — all before you leave the invoice screen

Most verifications are done before your coffee cools.

Mobile tips

• Use the tab bar at the bottom to navigate — Verify, Products, Dashboard, More
• Long-press the ABN field to paste from clipboard after copying from an invoice
• Download the PDF from your Dashboard to share with a colleague or attach to a purchase order
• Set up monitoring via Dashboard → Phoenix Shield to automatically re-verify your supplier list monthly — no manual checks needed

Uncommon Insights

When verifying a supplier's ABN on Gumshoe, it's essential to understand that a "Moderate" Assurance Score (60-84) may not necessarily indicate a high-risk supplier. In some cases, a WARN tile may be triggered due to a legitimate reason, such as a new ABN (under 6 months) or a missing DMARC record. According to ASIC's Regulatory Guide 252, a new ABN may be issued to a legitimate business, and a missing DMARC record may not necessarily indicate a phishing risk. Therefore, it's crucial to read the tile detail and assess the risk based on the specific circumstances.

Contrary to popular belief, a high Assurance Score on Gumshoe does not guarantee that a supplier is compliant with all Australian regulations. For instance, the ATO's GST registration checks may not detect all cases of non-compliance. According to the ATO's GST Ruling 2003/1, a supplier may be required to register for GST even if their turnover is below the threshold. Therefore, it's essential to review the supplier's credentials and ensure they are compliant with all relevant regulations, even if their Assurance Score is high.

When investigating a supplier with a FAIL tile on their ABN Status, it's crucial to understand the specific reason for the failure. According to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), section 601AA, a company may be deregistered if it fails to pay its annual review fee. However, this does not necessarily mean that the supplier is a phoenix company. It's essential to verify the supplier's identity and check for any other red flags before making a decision.

Interestingly, the ATO's data on ABN cancellations and deregistrations can be used to identify potential phoenix companies. According to the ATO's Phoenix Taskforce, a supplier with a history of cancelled or deregistered ABNs may be at higher risk of phoenix activity. Gumshoe's verification process checks for these red flags, providing users with a more comprehensive risk assessment. By understanding these patterns, users can make more informed decisions when verifying suppliers.