Summary

Corporations and limited liability companies should be aware that correspondence they receive from a company named Corporate Records Service has been deemed a scam by the Pennsylvania Department of State as well as the equivalent bodies in several other states.

Corporate Records Service has been sending official-looking forms entitled “Annual Meeting Disclosure Statement,” “2013 Annual Minutes Form” or “2013 Annual Corporate Records Form” to business entities throughout the U.S. citing statutory requirements for records compliance. The enclosed letters urge business owners to complete and file the forms and pay a $125 fee by a certain date in order to remain legally compliant. The Pennsylvania Department of State is not associated or affiliated with Corporate Records Service and does not require that the requested information be filed with the state or any third party. Accordingly, companies receiving this correspondence should disregard it.

The Pennsylvania Department of State issued a consumer alert in April with regards to the deceptive Corporate Records Service solicitation, as has the Better Business Bureau. Saul Ewing has been contacted by several clients who have recently received these notices.

All official notices sent to businesses by the Pennsylvania Department of State or the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office will contain the letterhead and/or contact information for the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. Business owners should contact the Bureau at (717) 787-1057 or ra-corps@pa.gov if they have any questions or concerns regarding these solicitations or any other communications.