This month, two of my business clients received “notices” that it is time to file their annual report with the Oregon Secretary of State. The notices came from a company called “Workplace Compliance Services” (WCS). I am also the registered agent for these clients.
Third Party Solicitation Scams
There are signs that the notice is a third party solicitation:
- $185 fee. The fee in Oregon is $100.
- There is no State of Oregon seal.
- The address on the form is 2755 Commercial St. SE Ste 101-260, Salem, OR. If you look it up you can probably figure out that it is a UPS Store.
- There is also a bold type statement in the middle of the document that discloses that they are not affiliated with the State of Oregon. You can see a PDF sample here.
Workplace Compliance Services
WCS registered in Oregon in February 2019. The authorized representative is Steven Fata. The registrant is ANS, Inc. ANS, Inc. is a Foreign Business Corporation from Michigan, registered in OR in October 2018. Steven Fata is President and Secretary.
The DOJ Consumer Protection Unit has received “numerous complaints” about WCS already (and another from myself today).
Here’s what ANS and the Fata family have been up to in Michigan and Iowa:
They have also been active in AZ, KY, and NE. See this post from the Better Business Bureau.
Get Help When You Need It
Third party solicitations to business owners are nothing new. I am grateful for my clients who remember to work with me and to ask me questions when something like this comes into their mailbox.
What to do if you receive one of these: Check the Secretary of State website and check if your business is up for renewal.
In the meantime, learn more about Business Solutions on my website.
This was a timely post! I also received one of those solicitations and, after looking up the address, figured out it was a rental post office place. Because the address is on State Street, it can make someone think it is the State Capitol!