PA Department of Revenue issues a Business Alert Scam

March 14, 2016 – BUSINESS COMPLIANCE DIVISION/NOTICE OF POTENTIAL COMPLIANCE VIOLATION SCAM

The Pennsylvania Department of State has been made aware of more post card solicitations that are being mailed to Pennsylvania businesses from a bogus company calling itself “Business Compliance Division.” The post card urges the company to “call immediately” to “avoid potential fees and penalties.” The number (1-888-803-7922) leads the caller to speak to a representative of the alleged company, who seeks a credit card payment of $125 over the phone to procure a “certificate of existence” in order to comply with “Commonwealth regulations governing new enterprises.”

This is a SCAM. Companies which are validly formed have already received a stamped copy of the public organic document filed with the Department of State, indicating the entity number, date filed and name of the current Secretary of the Commonwealth. There is no “certificate of existence” required for a newly-filed company in order to maintain compliance with Pennsylvania law.