NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett is warning businesses and charitable organizations across the state to be on alert for misleading third-party mail and email solicitations related to required annual business filings.
According to the Secretary of State’s office, reports are increasing statewide from businesses that have received official-looking correspondence from an unaffiliated entity known as the Tennessee Business Filing Center. The mailers and emails offer to file annual business reports on behalf of organizations but charge significantly higher fees than the state’s official filing system.
“Our office has seen a steady increase in complaints from businesses about this misleading mailer requesting hundreds of dollars in fees to file annual reporting documents,” Hargett said. “This situation is similar to what we have seen in recent years, and we want all Tennessee businesses to know we provide this very same service at substantially lower costs.”…