OLYMPIA – Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is warning Washington business and non-profit owners of fraudulent communications that purports to be official notice from the Office of the Secretary of State’s (OSOS) Corporations and Charities Division or other state office.
The fraudulent communications towards business owners have focused on initial registration, business verification, annual filings, and claims of delinquency. In most instances, money has been solicited that far exceed Washington's fee schedule.
Recent notifications to OSOS suggest phone solicitations are targeting Washington’s Latino business owners, threatening fines and jail if they do not file immediately, eliciting $200 payment.
“Washington businesses are a foundational aspect of our state and critical to our economy’s health,” said Secretary Hobbs. “Business owners deserve to feel protected and equipped with information to deny malicious attempts on their franchise.”
Hobbs added that business owners that receive a registration-related bill, call, text, or other communication from an unknown third-party should file an online complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.
Direct-mail solicitations have been a known method of fraudulent actors for years. Methods evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic to use SMS text messages that present hyperlinks and QR codes to websites soliciting credit card information. Reports have also included phone calls claiming to originate from OSOS that attempt to establish credibility by providing publicly available information to the business owner.
Similar solicitations in recent years resulted in multiple consumer protection lawsuits by the Attorney General’s Office, including a Wyoming-based business and a repeat-offender from Michigan.
The OSOS Corporations and Charities division provides examples of false solicitations and how to spot them on the Misleading “Notices” & “Solicitations” FAQ webpage. To verify if communication regarding a business or non-profit is legitimate, business owners can reference the Corporations & Charities factsheet.
Businesses and charities in Washington can always verify their filing status with the Office of Secretary of State by visiting the Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) . Registration-related questions can be answered by a representative through the rapid response chat feature on our website, at (360) 725-0377 or emailing [email protected].
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees areas within state government including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office operates the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, and administers the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees and the Productivity Board state employee suggestion program. The Secretary of State also oversees the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.