Mail scam targets N.Y. corporations

New York corporations are the target of a scam in which businesses are told to send document processing fees to a fictitious state government agency, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in an alert issued by his office Monday.

The governor said businesses are receiving notifications through the mail advising them of their corporate responsibilities and requesting a processing fee for providing a service that they are led to believe is required by state law.

A document titled “2014 Annual Corporate Minutes” selectively quotes sections of New York”™s Business Corporation Law regarding a corporation”™s obligations to hold annual corporate meetings and maintain corporate records. The official-looking document asks the recipient to send $125 to the “Dept. of Business and Compliance” to fulfill its corporate obligations under the law.

New York does not require business corporations to file corporate minutes with the state or any other government agency.

Cuomo said businesses should ignore the solicitations and report them to the Department of State”™s Division of Consumer Protection at 518-474-8583 or dos.gov/consumerprotection.

“We will work aggressively with law enforcement agencies to prosecute any instances of fraud against New York businesses,” he said.

Information on corporate filing requirements is available online at the Department of State”™s Division of Corporations at dos.ny.gov/corps.