Business Alerts

We often hear from business owners concerned about receiving offers and solicitations that are confusing, deceptive, suspicious or even fraudulent. Below are examples reported to us:

Annual Report Solicitation

Many Oregon businesses report receiving a questionable solicitation entitled "2023 - Annual Report Instruction Form" or “State Annual Report Renewal Notice.” These forms, sent by a couple of out-of-state companies "Workplace Compliance Services" also known as W.C.S. or C.P.S. and “Business Compliance Services” can be easily mistaken for correspondence from the State of Oregon. It is not.

Despite their appearance, the Annual Report Instruction Form or the Annual Report Compliance were not sent by the Secretary of State Corporation Division.

If you would like to see if your annual report is due to be filed with our office, please visit sos.oregon.gov/bizsearch.

Report any payments made to one of these solicitations to the Department of Justice by filing a complaint online at https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/consumer-complaints/.

If you were misled into paying the additional fee, visit our Don't Be Misled page for more information.

Safety Manual Solicitation

Be aware of solicitations offering to provide services for a fee. C.P.S., a third-party private business offers an OSHA safety manual for a fee of $295. You can get the manual from the OSHA website free of charge. Please visit their website for more information. Speak directly with Oregon OSHA's Consulting Services for free and confidential help.

Employment Poster Scam

Employment poster scams are a frequent concern for many business owners. Required employment posters are generally free. You can download most directly from government agency websites.

A typical employment or labor poster solicitation cites state and federal requirements to post labor posters and notices at job sites as well as penalties for non-compliance. These companies offer to provide all the required posters for $105 or more. These offers are scams.

For examples of scam solicitations:

Scam labor law poster solicitation (PDF)

Visit the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) for information on employer poster requirements and instructions for downloading and ordering employer compliance posters.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

The Oregon Employment Department issued a fraud alert for people applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits. Please be aware of any phishing or spoofing attempts from scammers claiming to be from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). These fraudulent attempts can be made through email, text message, or phone. U.S. DOL will never ask you to provide personal information. If you would like to report an allegation of fraud involving unemployment insurance or other U.S. Department of Labor activities or programs, please contact the OIG Hotline at: https://www.oig.dol.gov/hotline.htm or 202-693-6999 or 1-800-347-3756.

Misleading Solicitation – Applying for an EIN

Applying for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a free service offered by the Internal Revenue Service. Beware of websites on the Internet that charge for this free service.

Using a site other than www.irs.gov to apply for an EIN may result in fees as much as $250. These companies won’t refund payments made to them, so it is important that you remain vigilant regarding the site that you use to apply.

Certificate of Standing Solicitation

Oregon businesses have reported receiving a letter from OR Certificate Services offering a certificate of standing/existence. Although the letter might appear to be from a government agency, it's not. You can get a certificate of existence from the Corporation Division for a fee of $10. The order form can be found at: sos.oregon.gov/business/Pages/business-registry-certificates.aspx.

See example of the letter

OR Certificate Services charges a fee of $77.25. The Secretary of State Corporation Division provides certificates of existence for $10 each. Please visit our certificate page and complete a request form if you need a certificate of existence.

Report any payments made to one of these solicitations to the Department of Justice by filing a complaint online at https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/consumer-complaints/.

Tax Related Identity Theft

In 2018 the IRS announced a scam that's impacting employers and payroll companies. ID thieves sent an email to the human resources person within a company, pretending to be the CEO or another executive. They ask the Human Resources employee to send them the W-2s. However, the information is NOT going to the company CEO, it's going to an identity thief who uses names and social security numbers to file fraudulent returns.

Protect yourself from identity theft. Visit the Internal Revenue Service website to learn about taxpayer identity theft.

Find information and resources to protect your business from identity theft.

Secondhand Precious Metals Dealers

On January 1, 2013, Oregon implemented a law regulating precious metal secondhand dealers (ORS 646A.064-068). Be aware that precious metal secondhand dealers who solicit, receive, purchase, trade or accept delivery of items of precious metal from individuals in return for money or other consideration are required to follow state law.

Find out more information and links to local ordinances >

Scam Email: noreply@sbdo.oregon.gov

Scam email appears to be from a Oregon Department of Small Business Services Certification Unit. Do not click the link. Read more …”

Oregon Secretary of State