Scammers target businesses with ‘Annual Minutes Form’

A firm called Annual Business Services is sending a solicitation letter and attempting to scam Illinois businesses, according to Secretary of State Jesse White.

The firm is contacting businesses and attempting to collect a $125 fee for a corporation’s “corporate minutes,” a statement from White’s office said.

The fake notice, which resembles the state’s annual report form, warns the fee must be paid by Jan. 9, but White recommends corporations do not reply to the solicitation, the statement said.

The Illinois Business Corporation Act does not require corporations to file an “Annual Minutes Form.” The only fee that corporations are required to pay is included in their annual report, the statement said.

“The problem is that the form this bogus firm is sending out looks similar to our Secretary of State’s annual report form,” White said in the statement. “We are concerned that companies may be filing the form and paying the $125 because they believe they are filing their annual report with us, as required by law.”

Businesses can file a complaint about the solicitation at the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Division at (800) 243-0618.