Company swindled Hoosier businesses with bogus $125 fee

INDIANAPOLIS (March 1, 2013) – Secretary of State Connie Lawson announced today that Attorney General Greg Zoeller filed a complaint in conjunction with a recent corporate filing scam.  The complaint, filed against Steven John Fata, Corporate Record Services, the Indiana Labor Law Posting Service and The Mandatory Poster Agency, Inc., alleges violations of the Indiana Deceptive Commercial Solicitation Act, the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act and incurable deceptive business practices. 

In January, several Hoosier businesses received scam letters appearing to come from the Business Services Division of the Secretary of State’s office attempting to solicit $125 annually for record keeping. The letter gave the appearance of coming from a legitimate government agency and cited state law. Once aware of the scam, Secretary Lawson immediately issued a warning to ignore the letter.

“Protecting Hoosiers from financial scams is one of the top priorities of this office,” said Secretary Lawson. “I appreciate the quick reaction of business leaders to help us prevent Hoosiers from falling victim to the scam. I thank Attorney General Zoeller for filing this action to recover losses for those Hoosiers who did not get our scam alert and to bring these alleged crooks to justice.” 

"Self-serving fraudsters who waste the money of Hoosier businesspeople by misrepresenting themselves as being affiliated with government agencies will find themselves squaring off against a real government, the State of Indiana, which has no tolerance for the misuse of its good reputation nor the defrauding of its citizens," Indiana Attorney General Zoeller said.  

Businesses wishing to check the validity of any mailing from the Indiana Secretary of State should contact the Business Services Division Help Line at (317) 232-6576.

In 2008, a similar letter circulated and over 2000 businesses fell victim to the scam. The Attorney General’s office successfully prosecuted the case in Marion County. The judge agreed the letters were misleading with intent to deceive.