IL Certificate Service Scam

Navigating the set-up of a small or medium sized business can be a daunting task. Deciding whether you should organize as a corporation, LLC, or some other entity is one of the first decisions you have to make. Then there are other federal, state and local laws and regulations to comply with. On top of all that, sometimes business owners must deal with scams.

It has recently come to our attention that several non-governmental business entities have been targeting Illinois business owners in an attempt to coerce them into paying for a completely unneeded service. One company, named IL Certificate Service, is mailing “official” looking letters to owners of recently formed Limited Liability Companies (LLC’s) informing the business owner they need to order a “Certificate of STATUS.” They offer to provide this service in exchange for a fee of $87.25.

THIS IS A SCAM.

If or when you do need a Certificate of Good standing, they are available from the Illinois Secretary of State for a nominal fee of $25.00. They can also be printed instantaneously.

Please exercise caution and be on the lookout for these types of scams, including the set of scams listed on the Illinois Secretary of State website which is linked below. We are always here to answer questions. If you have paid for this service, we would be interested in hearing your story.

Scams (cyberdriveillinois.com)

Contact Information

Phone: 217-429-4296
Email: mspain@brelaw.com