Business Alert - Possible Deceptive Business Renewal Notice Mailing

Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - Secretary of State Bill Bradbury warns all Oregon Businesses to beware of a new business-to-business mailing that looks deceptively like a mailing from the Corporation Division.

A number of businesses report having received an "official looking" invoice entitled: "Assumed Business Name Expiration Notice" informing the business owner that their Assumed Business Name registration is set to expire and requesting a fee of a $125 to renew the registration.

The mailings are from a company called Assumed Business Name Renewal Service, and the invoice lists a return address of 4676 Commercial Street SE, #169, Salem, OR 97302, a UPS Store/mail forwarding business.

All of the mailings appear to use false and misleading expiration dates that are inconsistent with Oregon Business Law and the Secretary of State Corporation Division's records.

This invoice was not sent by the Secretary of State's Corporation Division and is not authorized by the State of Oregon. While the invoice contains references to Oregon Business Law, businesses receiving this mailing are advised that they can renew Assumed Business Names themselves directly with the Secretary of State's Corporation Division.

The Secretary of State mails renewal notices to all registered businesses approximately 45 days prior to the anniversary date the business. Assumed Business Name registrations are good for 2 years, and the fee for all registrations and renewals is $50.

Businesses need to read solicitations carefully to determine if they are, in fact, from a government agency and require a response.

Solicitations from some private organizations are difficult to distinguish from government correspondence at first glance, even though they may contain disclaimers noting that the organization is not government affiliated.