Attorney General Bob Ferguson is alerting Washingtonians to scammers targeting new business owners, sending hundreds of thousands of deceptive letters into the state.
The letters appear to originate from the government, and demand payment for documents that should be free, or are available for a much lower price from the legitimate agency. About 15,000 Washington businesses have already fallen victim, paying more than $1.2 million. The scammers have targeted Washingtonians who recently registered a new business to pay $82.50 for a certificate that actually costs $20 through the Washington Secretary of State or $79.25 for a poster that is free from state and federal governments. The Attorney General’s Office already received more than 90 complaints about the letters.
Any Washingtonians who received letters from WA Certificate Service or Labor Poster Compliance asking them to pay for either a Certificate of Status, Certificate of Existence or “labor law poster” should contact the Attorney General’s Office immediately. Residents can file a complaint online here or call the office toll-free at 1-800-551-4636. (AG Office)
