State officials are warning the state’s business community to be on the lookout for a government imposter scam to avoid being victimized.
Attorney General William Tong and Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas issued the joint warning this past week.
According to the warning, a company called C F Division Services LLC, also known as CT UCC Statement Service, has attempted to get businesses to pay $90 for a copy of a Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) report.
The notice is designed to appear as if it is coming from a government agency, only noting in small print that it isn’t, officials said.
There is no need to pay any such fee. Anyone can visit the Secretary of the State’s website and file or access UCC reports for free.
Tong indicated that his office has issued a letter to the North Miami Beach, Florida-based C F Division Services, demanding information about the company and any businesses it has targeted.
“The solicitation appears to misrepresent that it comes from a government agency and that the recipient is required to purchase the specified form from the company,” the Feb. 2 letter states. “While the solicitation does purport to include a disclaimer, the relevant language is not set forth in a clear and conspicuous manner, giving rise to our concern that consumers may be deceived into purchasing the company’s services.”
The company has also been the subject of complaints to the Better Business Bureau.
Tong urged businesses who get the solicitation to ignore it. He also urged anyone who has already paid the company to file a report with his office.
“We are investigating this company and will not hesitate to use the full extent of our authority to protect businesses and consumers from deceptive practices,” Tong said.
Thomas said all business filings can be done directly with the Secretary of the State’s office at business.ct.gov.
To report a scam or fraud, contact the Office of the Attorney General at 860-808-5318 or file a complaint with the office at www.dir.ct.gov/ag/complaint.
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.
