In advance of the June 30 annual reports filings deadline, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is warning businesses in Kentucky of unnecessary solicitations which may be mistaken for official government filing forms.
“Businesses are frequent targets of mailings that give the appearance of being a government form,” said Grimes. “We encourage businesses to be vigilant and to contact us if they receive any document or form and are suspicious about whether it is from our office or another state government agency.”
Many Kentucky businesses have reported receiving an “Annual Minutes Statement,” which appeared to be an official form requiring a response and a $125 filing fee.
The solicitation is not sent by the Secretary of State’s office and is not required to be filed with state government. Businesses should not respond to these solicitations, and may report them to the Kentucky Attorney General’s office.
Last week, the Attorney General’s office filed suit against Corporate Records Service, a Michigan company that is sending the form to Kentucky businesses.
According to the lawsuit, the company has targeted as many as 200,000 Kentucky businesses.
Grimes is reminding businesses that the only form required to be filed with the Secretary of State’s office each year is the annual report, which may be filed online at sos.ky.gov, and requires a $15 fee.
“Never hesitate to contact our office and ask questions if you are not sure about filing requirements,” said Grimes.
Secretary of State’s office