This is an alert to our clients regarding fraudulent offers of business filing services.  Scammers are using criminal tactics to solicit information about your corporation, partnership, limited liability company and other business entities by offering to file documents with the secretary of state on your behalf.  They offer these services for a fee while they also gain confidential information about you and your business. 

These mailings usually begin with scare tactics warning the victims that if they do not respond, their businesses will be in legal jeopardy.  The scammers offer, for a fee, to prepare required filings and documentation based on the information you provide.  (They will even cite the state statute requiring the filings.)  They may give you the option to pay for these fraudulent services using a credit card.  At the end of the day, the scammer has the names of your business' stockholders, officers and directors, your credit card number, and a copy of your signature. 

Other scammers have sent out official looking letters volunteering to dissolve a company for a fee.  By providing the information they request, you will give them what they need to hijack a business and make some cash in the process.

Here are direct links to alerts posted by the secretaries of state of Washington and secretaries of state of California.  Other states have posted similar warnings.