According to recent news reports, several businesses have received official-looking letters from a fictitious organization called “The Virginia Council for Corporations.” The letters offer assistance to complete the State Corporation Commission’s (SCC) “required Annual Records Solicitation Form” for a fee of $125.
While the form appears similar to the SSC’s “Annual Report“, a document mailed by the State Clerk’s Office to Virginia corporations for mandatory record keeping, the “Annual Records Solicitation Form” is neither required nor authorized by the State Commission, and is in short, a scam. For more details, see the SSC’s official alert.
Last year the SSC issued a warning about a similar incident with a company called “Corporate Records Service”, which used the same Richmond address as the Virginia Council for Corporations. Reporters who called the number listed in the letter were told to send inquires by email, which of course went unanswered.
In other related news, a company called “Personnel Concepts” has been attempting to con businesses by offering a service that helps them (the businesses) comply with laws regarding labor posters. If contacted by phone, they might ask to verify corporate information such as employee names. If by letter, they send a bureaucratic-looking document that lists and describes fines for non-compliance. Do not be fooled. The posters they are referring to can be obtained for free from state or federal agencies.
See the actual compliance requirements here.
By: Kevin Hickman