Scam Targeting Tennessee Businesses

A scam targeting Tennessee businesses is back and the Secretary of State’s office is warning businesses to be on the lookout for it. It is a mailer that implies that businesses must have a certificate of existence to complete to fully operate in the state. Secretary of State Tre Hargett says that is not the case. The mailer is titled “2021 Certificate of Existence Request” and says that it’s part of the registration process for the business, and tells the owners that a fee of $83.00 or $175.50 is required for a third-party company to complete the Certificate of Existence paperwork on the businesses’ behalf. Hargett says business owners can get a Certificate of Existence from the Secretary of State’s Office for only $20 if they need one. Business owners should call the Division of Business Services at 615-741-2286 if they receive one of these or other questionable mailers or if owners have questions about obtaining a Certificate of Existence.