Don't be Fooled by Misleading Solicitations

Recently, certain private companies have been mass mailing misleading solicitations to corporations and limited liability companies in California. A Customer Alert regarding these misleading solicitations was recently posted on the California Secretary of State's website. The solicitations offer to prepare, for a fee, corporate meeting minutes or a Statement of Information on behalf of the targeted business.

These solicitations are misleading because they resemble the forms used by the Secretary of State's office. They generally attempt to instill a sense of urgency in the recipient by providing for a limited response time or deadline and by threatening monetary penalties, fines, suspension of the right to conduct business and/or personal liability if the forms are not promptly returned with the requested payment.

The companies sending these solicitations are not affiliated with the Secretary of State or other government agency. Corporate minutes are not required to be filed with the Secretary of State, and Statements of Information can be submitted directly to the Secretary of State's office either via mail or, for most corporations, online. If you are unsure whether a form you may have received is an official filing or is merely a solicitation for business, you can compare it with the official forms on the Secretary of State's website or contact our office for assistance.