It looks like the Corporate Compliance Recorder scam described by the Los Angeles Better Business Bureau has made its way to Oregon. In the mail today I found this official-looking envelope addressed to the non-profit community association that I’m the secretary for.
I believe this is the time our annual corporation fee is due, so at first I thought the mailing was for real. But the $95 fee was steep, and I’d never heard of a requirement to disclose annual minutes.
Of course, there isn’t such a requirement. These scammers on Market Street are hoping that people don’t read the fine print of the other side of their letter, which begins: Corporation Compliance Recorder is a non-governmental service business that assists corporations to avoid possible penalties and fines with state and government agencies.
Aside from taking your $95, it’s hard to figure out what service they provide. Apparently you fill out the form describing the corporation’s annual meeting, then they send you back the information you provided with something like “These are your official minutes” stamped on it. Or whatever. It’s a useless service, regardless.
I just filed an online complaint with the Oregon Better Business Bureau. If you get a letter from the Corporate Compliance Recorder, file your own complaint. The sooner these folks are exposed for the rip-off artists they are, the better.
[P.S. on May 21: The Oregon Secretary of State's Office has issued a warning about this scam. They recommend filing a complaint with the Department of Justice if you get a mailing from the Corporation Compliance Recorder.]
I received two: one from Compliance Services, PO Box 1265, Studio City, CA 91614-0265, [email protected] AND one from Compliance Recorder, PO Box 91240, Los Angeles, CA 90009-1240, phone 888-325-1414 = bad dogs.
Posted by: Michelle | June 02, 2010 at 07:32 AM
Looks like they're still sending them out. There is a print on the bottom that states the service has not been approved or endorsed by any government agency.
The return address is:
Corporate Compliance Service
2740 Fulton Ave STE 203
Sacramento, CA 95821-5183
Posted by: Chi | June 15, 2010 at 10:48 AM
I just received a similar notice-I'm in FL though and it looks like most postings are from CA. Same letter though... The payments are to go to a Tallahassee PO box. I googled CS FORM MIN-FL 10 because the form said it needed to be filled out but was not included in the packet and found this site. Thanks for the heads up!
Posted by: Kim Polidoro | June 22, 2010 at 04:05 AM
They are now in New York operating out of 1843 Central Avenue # 168
Albany, New York 12205
Posted by: Don Corrigan | August 13, 2010 at 10:05 AM
It looks like most of these posts are a few years old. I just got something from Corporate Compliance Service at 2740 Fulton Ave Ste 203, which is obviously not an official document. My clue was the due date being less than two weeks after I received the notice, and the director listed being from 3 years ago.
Posted by: Jessica Dale | November 02, 2010 at 11:01 AM
Unbelieveable -- we received the form on 12/20/2010 in Virginia. How are these people are still out there?
Posted by: Gay Howard | January 04, 2011 at 04:04 PM
Thanks for the post. I own an answering service and some of these dishonest businesses worm their way into using our services and essentially hide behind the service. We try to weed out any business that looks fradulent before they forward but sometimes it can be difficult. Rest assured, any answering service (including ours) will disable service based on complaints.
Posted by: Nick | February 28, 2011 at 07:05 AM
Just got my letter. It is March 30 ,2011 so do the math talk about making some bank.The posts here go back to 2005! 7 years!!! Just do the math. Wow if it was not that I like to sleep at night, I guess I am in the wrong business. How does the government with all there policing of "Stuff" not crack down on this.They are "appearing to be an arm of the government. I am shocked that they are still doing this I got one last year too. Good thing I don't believe any thing till it is proved to me. Shame on these underhanded people behind this fraud. I think I;ll call local news and see if a reporter has the time to expose this shamefulness.
Posted by: Cindy Cimetta | March 30, 2011 at 10:05 AM
Looks like they're back. I recently got mail from them asking for $125. Hopefully no one falls for this scam.
Posted by: Alex | April 19, 2011 at 09:30 AM
I just got a letter of fictitious business name renewal. I have an accountant so she research it and came just like you guys. thanks for this site.
Posted by: maribel lee | November 01, 2011 at 06:32 PM
Five years later and they're still in business. Apparently, government agencies and the Post Office are either impotent or uncaring.
Posted by: Scott Herold | November 13, 2011 at 12:40 PM
I just found out that COMPLIANCE SERVICE, 400 CAPITAL CIRCLE SE, POSTAL MAIL BOX 32301, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, are hackers for your money.
The forms they sent to me look very much like government form, when they are a "SCAM".
On March 7, 2012 I signed the forms paying a fee of $ 125.00 from my business account.
I am afraid they would continue deducting fees from my personal or business accounts.
They should be subjected to prosecution and prison.
G. Suarez, M. D
Posted by: Guillermo Suarez, M. D | April 05, 2012 at 08:48 AM