The SC Secretary of State’s office is warning companies of a scam involving a false “status certificate”.
The office has received several complaints about letters from SC Certificate Services, said SC Secretary of State Mark Hammond in a press release.
“The letter was intended to provide a ‘South Carolina Status Certificate’ for $ 87.25,” said Hammond. “Businesses should be aware that this is not an official certificate issued by the state of South Carolina and that this so-called status certificate is not required to conduct business transactions in this state.”
The letter falsely states that the certificate may be required for loans, tax purposes or to renew business licenses, according to Hammond’s office. Although a company can request a certificate of existence from the Secretary of State, it is issued only by the state office, not by a private entity, and the fee is $ 10.
Hammond asked companies to receive a letter to contact his office, which issued a cease and desist letter to the SC Certificate Service and referred the matter to law enforcement for further investigation.
“It is a pity that there are scammers out there who try to take advantage of companies by marketing these fake documents,” said Hammond. “I implore companies and consumers to verify the legitimacy of any requests they receive before sending any money.”
The Secretary of State’s business filing division can be contacted at (803) 734-2158 or online at sos.sc.gov.