OLYMPIA, Wash.-A letter purporting to be from the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, is demanding payment for state business filings from small businesses across Washington.
“Be on the lookout for signs of a scam,” said AG Bob Ferguson. “If you think you’ve been the target of a scam, contact my office.”
According to the actual AG’s Office, the scam letters demand payment beyond the cost of legitimate state business filings and threaten business owners with fines or the dissolution of their businesses if they fail to comply.
At least 40 complaints have been received by the AG’s Office about the scam letters since early Nov.
According to the AG’s Office, the scam letters, which are addressed directly to businesses, include the Washington State seal and are made to look like official government communications.
However, the scam letters do contain clues that they are illegitimate, such as the QR code sending business owners to a website ending in .org instead of .gov.
Businesses who have received what they believe to be a scam letter should contact the Secretary of State’s Office and inquire about the status of their business filings.
Businesses who have been victimized by the scam can file a complaint through the AG’s Office.
