Misleading Mailings

The North Carolina Secretary of State’s Office has been made aware of deceptive mailings and emails from North Carolina Certified Document Services targeting businesses.

C.F.S. is soliciting companies and misleading them into using C.F.S. to file their 2022 LLC annual report with them for an additional $95. Click the Alert header above for a copy of the mailing and additional information on annual report filing.

D.O.C.S. is soliciting newly created companies and misleading them by indicating there is one more step.

Annual Minutes Filing Services, LLC has begun to mail out a solicitation to prepare annual minutes to business entities in North Carolina.

North Carolina Certificate Service is soliciting newly created companies and misleading them by indicating there is one more step.

The North Carolina Secretary of State’s Office has been made aware of misleading solicitations targeting business entities in regard to filing their required 2021 annual reports.

NC Certificate Service has mailed out forms so that businesses can order a NC Secretary of State 2019 Certificate of Existence at a cost of $74.50. This is a business scheme. Businesses are not required to order a Certificate of Existence as a step in the formation process

It is not uncommon for business owners to receive deceptive solicitations that look official and appear to be coming from the state. While the majority of these mailings relate to annual reports (or in some states, periodic reports), some also focus on annual minutes or business-license requirements.

A Florida company, Filing Labor Compliance Department Services (FLCD), is mailing out a “2019 Certificate of Status Request” form implying that business entities are required to obtain a Certificate of Status.

If you have received a similar mailing titled “Annual minutes requirements statement”

The Division of Corporate Services at 324 S. Wilmington Street #412, Raleigh, NC 27601 has mailed solicitations for businesses to complete “Annual Records Statements” for the year 2015. (PDF)

North Carolina Business Filing Services, LLC has mailed out forms so that businesses can order a NC Secretary of State 2014 Certificate of Existence at a cost of $59.99. This is a scam. Businesses are not required to order a Certificate of Existence as a step in the formation process.(PDF)

There is a solicitation involving the preparation of annual report minutes being mailed to North Carolina companies. North Carolina law does not require you to file corporate minutes with the NC Secretary of State’s Office.

• An example (PDF) of a North Carolina Compliance Service solicitation.(PDF)
• Complaint filed on by the NC Secretary of State’s Office and Attorney General’s Office.(PDF)
• Temporary Restraining Order.(PDF)
• Consent Order-Hearing Continued.(PDF)
• Compliance Services PI Order.(PDF)
• Signed Judgment in Compliance Services Case.(PDF)

The Secretary of State’s Office has discovered an apparent attempt to defraud North Carolina businesses. The “National Companies Register Corporation” is mailing “Important Final Notices” to North Carolina businesses in an effort to collect $487.00 on the premise that businesses are required to nationally register under the Patriot Act of 2001.

You may receive an unsolicited document in the mail asking you to pay $125.00 to a company to file your corporation’s Annual Report Form. This is a scam. It is not an official government document. It is not approved by our office.