We would like to alert all of our clients of a new scam that is circulating and targeting businesses. The company sending the solicitations refers itself as the "Michigan Council for Corporations", however, the scam is not exclusive to the state of Michigan. In this particular scam, taxpayers are receiving official-looking letters that advertise a service that will prepare and provide corporate consent records in lieu of meeting minutes in accordance with Michigan law for a fee of up to $239. 

According to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, "The misleading compliance solicitation implies that Michigan requires corporations and limited liability companies to complete an Annual Minutes Form and is designed to look like an official document, but it is not."

If you do receive one of these letters, we urge you to please contact our office to verify the legitimacy of it. LARA advises that if you do receive a letter, to please do the following:

1. Keep the notice, mailing envelope, and return envelope.2. Contact the United States Postal Inspections Service to report mail fraud at: 877-876-2455 or http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx3. Or contact the Michigan Office of the Attorney General at P.O. Box 30212, Lansing, MI 48909.

Legitimate notices and mailings to Michigan corporations are issued from LARA's Corporations Division and are mailed to the resident agent at the registered office address on record. When receiving any official-looking document, please review carefully and read the small print. If you are not sure, please contact the LARA Corporations Division at 517-241-6470.