It looks official, but it’s not. Fraudulent operators are sending out official looking notices that can fool companies into filing non-required forms or trick them into changing their registered agent. Many are offering non-existent or unnecessary corporate secretarial services for a hefty fee. Some are even filing documents fraudulently modifying corporate registration records with Secretary of States (SOS). Attorneys General (AG) are “trying to crack down” on such deceptive practices. Know how to spot phonies and only file authentic documents by following these helpful tips:
- Check with state AG and SOS offices for scams circulating in areas where you do business
- Do not reply to emails from unverified sources (or open links/attachments)
- Read the fine print, look for statements like: “This is not a governmental agency”
- Be suspicious of prepopulated forms that may change your agent
- Be especially vigilant when receiving correspondence from:
- Annual Business Services
- Business Filing Services
- Corporate Records Service
- Division of Corporate Services
- Trademark Compliance Center International Catalogue of Trademarks, TM Edition
As your registered agent, we watch for this stuff so you don’t have to. No matter the department, our knowledgeable staff knows how to identify scammers. So when in doubt, give Capitol a call or shoot us a copy of the questionable form. We’ll help you chunk that junk and get on with your day!