Shells and shelves

SEARCH online for “company incorporation” and you'll be spoilt for choice. Hundreds of so-called formation agents ply their trade online, offering to set up companies, trusts and foundations cheaply and discreetly, with minimal fuss (and in some cases minimal documentation) almost anywhere in the world. The customer need only click on the company desired, perhaps adding some optional extras such as a bank account, an offshore credit card, mail-forwarding or letterhead, and then heads to the checkout. Just £349 ($560) buys you a company in the Seychelles, with no local taxation, no public disclosure of directors or shareholders and no requirement to file accounts. Prices rise to £5,000 for more sophisticated corporate structures in places like Switzerland and Luxembourg.