Additional Information for Fictitious Business Name Renewal Center

Complainants generally allege that this company sends misleading Fictitious Business Name renewal offers to their businesses. Complainants further report that they send this company the requested fees under the impression that the renewal forms sent by the company originated from their local county government, only to discover that there is no affiliation between the company and any government agency. They also indicate that the fee to file, typically $125, is significantly more than what their local county charges to file. Additionally, a number of complainants have alleged that the company does not file their Fictitious Business Name renewal forms as promised.

The business generally responds to these complaints by issuing refunds.

BBB believes these complaints contain a pattern of allegations and contacted the business on November 22, 2016 and November 29, 2016. We requested that the business provide us a written explanation for these types of complaints and a list of steps, if any, it planned to take to prevent similar issues in the future. As of today's date, the business has not provided this.

According to Title 39, United States Code, Section 3001, it is illegal to mail solicitations which could reasonably be construed as a bill, invoice, or statement of account due unless a disclaimer is present, reading: “THIS IS A SOLICITATION FOR THE ORDER OF GOODS OR SERVICES, OR BOTH, AND NOT A BILL, INVOICE, OR STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT DUE. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO MAKE ANY PAYMENTS ON ACCOUNT OF THIS OFFER UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER.”

Additionally, according to Title 39, United States Code, Section 3001, it is illegal to mail solicitations for purchase of a product or service that could reasonably be construed as implying a connection with the Federal government unless a disclaimer is conspicuously placed on the outside envelope, reading “THIS IS NOT A GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT.” A disclaimer must also be conspicuously placed on the front and back of every page of the solicitation itself, reading: “THIS PRODUCT OR SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR ENDORSED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THIS OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE BY ANY AGENCY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,” or a notice to the same effect in conditions as prescribed by the United States Postal Service.