We just got one of these too. I sent it to the DA’s office.

I paid to this “corporate filing unit” $239.00 where can i make a complaint to them to return my money?

Please check the comments from our previous post about this company. There are a number of people who managed to get their money back: http://blog.fryewiles.com/business-operations/08-28-2009/business-filings-division-statement-of-information-scam/

We received one like this also, and it seemed odd that we were paying “Corporate Filing Unit”. That prompted me to actually read the entire letter, and not just write the check, and then I decided to check the web to validate my suspicion that this is a scam. I’m glad you have this posting. Thank you.

I got it for my California LLC today.

I just received this today and almost cut a check when I decided to check online for more information. I still have the earlier mail from BFD and compared it to this one. Thanks for writing “SCAM!” in caps. That got my attention.

California businesses in receipt of a solicitation letter that seems misleading or confusing can mail a written complaint along with the entire solicitation (including the solicitation letter, the outer and return envelopes, and all related documents) to the California Attorney General’s office, Public Inquiry Unit, P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, California 94244-2550. A complaint form, which can be completed online and printed to mail, is available on the California Attorney General’s website at http://www.ag.ca.gov/consumers/general.php.

Whew! I was just about to mail my check but something just didn’t feel right. I thought I’d do some research and your blog came up on Google. Thanks for saving me $225.00…money we don’t really have.

I JUST MAILED MY COMPLAINT TO THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL. California Attorney General’s office, Public Inquiry Unit, P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, California 94244-2550

I Think the Attorney General will be going after these companies because they are falsely misrepresenting the Secretary of State.

I thought it looked fishy because I received it yesterday and they are asking payment by Nov 27, 2009. I thought it was strange because I am assumimng government offices most likely will be shut for Thanksgiving. Anyway, I started to look for the number to call and all I could see was very small faunt at the bottowm of the form. I called and I got the same message three times stating, very high call volume, email us. That was also another red flag.

Anyway, I shall call Secretary of State and get to the bottom of this.

Best Regards,

FR

I work at a small property mgt. co. In Sept and Oct, I rec’d about 12 of the these “invoices” under 2 of the phony names.. I was suspicious and checked it out online and found it to be a scam. I reported it to my local assemblyman’s office… Today, I rec’d 5 more of these letters from Corporate Filing Unit…
I wonder why Attorney General Brown hasn’t put a stop to this yet??? The bad guys show a return address which I would think makes finding them easier.

Thanks for posting/sharing this everyone. I’ve paid this in the past and now know it is a Scam. I was looking for a phone number to call too when I saw today is 11/24 and payment is due 11/27. I will also mail this off with a letter of complaint to the Attorney General.

I just went back through my files and I did pay $239.00 in September 2009 - ugh! I’m guessing that money is now lost.

We at Capitola Media LLC (http://www.capitolamedia.com) just received this same scam. Love the internet to uncover this BS.

RECIEVED A LETTER FROM CORPRATE FILING UNIT, ASKING FOR A PAYMENT OF $225.00, DUE BY NOV.27. WENT BACK AND CHECKED MY RECORDS, FOUND THAT I SENT THEM A CHECK 9-02-09 FOR 239.00.

I’d like someone to make a trip to Sac and beat the shit out of who ever is working in that place. this is what this kind of crook needs.

I hate scammers. I had even written the check, then decided to read it a little more carefully. I wonder how many poor suckers are hooked by these guys. How much of a bet would anyone like to make on the nationality of these scum bags.

Thanks for your invaluable service

I work in Colusa and we just received this bogus filing form from Corporate filing Unit,1104 Corporate Way,Sac SA 95831
CA Corp # C3103173, Payment $225 due date 11/27/09

Last page & paragraph state THIS IS NOT A BILL . THIS IS A SOLITATION. YOUR ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO PAY THE AMOUNT STATED ABOVE UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER. (I.E, you answews 14 simple question on the form-name address phone # etc, mail it to them they mail it to the CA and you pay them $225) Scam Scam !!

Keep up the good work! Remember to also file your complaints with BBB at http://necal.bbb.org/business/

Thanks for posting. Just got this letter myself and glad I checked before paying.

I fell for the first one ($239), but I got suspicious after the second one. I looked through the other blog, but didn’t see that anyone got their money back once their check was cashed. Is there a class action lawsuit?

Hey guys this the second time I have received a letter from there crazy guys. I forget what exactly the title of the first one said but this one is the one with the “Corporate Filing Unit”.
They are asking $225.00! and the “due date” that was posted on the letter was within a “few days” of when I had received it! I guess is just part of the scam! So when you open it and see the DUE DATE you panic and send them the payment asap!

Ya it seemed like a scam. Glad I searched them and found this post. $225 for SOI.. Bull$#%^!!

Thank you for posting this. Seemded odd and I thank you for posting this scam. Hope they get busted

Thanks for this info.. A bit too late for me! I got scammed first time with BFD and then just rushed to send in the latest Corporate Filing Unit statement for $225. After I put in the mailbox, I got concerned and asked my accountant who told me it was a scam. I have just stopped payment on my check and checked you out!! Thanks for your service. I emailed SOS and will file some more complaints!! The good news is that the bank waved the stop payment fee!!

thank you for your web page. i allmost did belive i had to pay 225 $ ad to go on google to find out, because there was no such adress like coporate filing on hand. thanks again for saving me money

Thanks for this post. I had a hunch when I got the first solicitation. However, I got another one again. I filed a complaint with the Attorney General and I will contact the TV station to get this on the 6pm news. If you reside in the bay area, contact Michael finney at channel 7 so he can have this on the 6pm news. I am also making a copy of the letter and mail it back to them using FUNNY NAMES of whatever they are asking. Use your imagination in creating FUNNY NAMES like Big Bird, DArk Vader, Puke Skywalker, Porcelain Hugger, Pep C Coola, Cokha Coola, … You get the point. Just make sure to erase the your company address and the like. They should get alot of this on their mail too. Lots of LUCK everyone and thanks for this site again.

Got the request to pay $225.00, for our LLC filing fee from this outfit.
After reading their request form I smelled a rat
so went on the internet to check them out and found your website. Confirmed my suspicions.
Thanks

I also received the bill from corporate filing unit for my LLC. Almost payed the $225.00 then did google search on this entity. Found this blog and confirmed what I thought. The state seal in the upper right of the invoice tipped me off. It was not a California State Seal.

I just received my “official looking” document requesting $225 from the “Corporate Filing Unit”. Thanks again for pointing out this SCAM.

We continue to receive these as well, but if you look at the bottom in caps it reads THIS PRODUCT OR SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR ENDORSED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AND THIS OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE BY AN AGENCY OF THE GOVERNMENT. So if anyone bothers to look through items thoroughly when they receive them before just dashing off a check, they can avoid paying for something they did not order or request. Another scam is a non invoice. It looks like an invoice but what makes it legal is that it does not specifically state you neither owe an amount nor is it labeled as invoice. So always know who your vendors are and who you owe.

you have to report this here, we’ve gotten several different forms this year!

https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx

Though it was weird and I was about to send it out but found your blog.
Thanks for your posting!

THANK YOU everyone for the postings!!! I am an accounting manager for a company based in Iowa but have employees in CA. I of course paid the first one to be sure that our license wasn’t cancelled, but when I just recently got the second one stated it was due 11/27/2009, I wanted to find a phone # and instead found all the blogs!! Thanks again, I will be filing the complaint and appropriate paperwork in hopes to see the money returned.

thanks a lot Nate.. just like everyone mentioned we have recieved the same paper’s too. We had paid the first one which was the ‘RIGHT ONE’

Then my husband hear this scam in the news.. he told me and I was hoping we was not one of them.

…and that day came we recieved that fake one. I spent lots of time comparing and rethinking maybe this is the one, the same due date like everyone else.

Finally in the fake one theres a ph# at the righ bottom under the date and it is so small.

Today 12/22 2009 i cant resist but call them and theres an automated anwering machine redirecting all calls to SUPPORT @ CORPORATE FILLING UNIT.COM Anyway to make story short I see everyone complaint. Luckily we were not one of them.

Most especially THANK YOU SO MUCH for making that copy and how it looked like.

I HAVE THE SAME LETTER REQUETING 225.00 GOOD THING I DID MY INVESTIGATION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Thank you for all the information. I sent a check and they cashed it ($225). I did the following: emailed them the first time at support@corporatefiling.com to express my outrage that I would file a complaint with the Department of Corporations, BBB, and Attorney General. Emailed them a second time three days later that I’d file a small claim against the comopany. I got a response from the second email and got a postal money order for the entire $225 as a refund. Of course they wouldn’t have a checking account shown! And the money order date was before I emailed them, that means they are prepared to refund any request figuring that they would only need more than 1 in 2 success rate and still make out like a bandit without breaking any law!! I did file a complaint with both BBB and the CA DA. But all I got from the CA DA is a letter that says “buyer beware”.

Sorry — the correct email to request a refund is: support@corporatefilingunit.com