Business ProfileforFlorida Assumed Name Services

The Florida Office of the Attorney General filed a complaint against two Michigan brothers operating an imposter scam in Florida. According to the complaint, Joe and Steven Fata sent misleading solicitations appearing to originate from state government agencies to Florida businesses. The brothers posed as representatives of state agencies and offered what appeared to be government services for a fee.

The complaint alleges the Fata brothers posed as government entities and offered to file annual reports and renew fictitious name filings for Florida businesses. Many of these public services are provided by the state, at a significantly lower rate. The victimized businesses often mistakenly believed that government agencies sent the solicitations and used the defendants’ services. 

The defendants operated under such names as Florida Council for Corporations, Florida Assumed Name Services and Workplace Compliance Services. The Florida Attorney General’s complaint seeks the return of all monies paid to the defendants by Florida businesses, as well as civil penalties.

According to Florida Department of State Division of Corporations do not confuse unofficial fictitious name registration renewal solicitations with the Department of State’s official notices. The unofficial notices, which solicit a fee of $125, are NOT from the Department of State or any other state or federal agency.
You may renew your fictitious name registration for the statutory filing fee of $50.

Please disregard these notices.  Neither form is required by this office or any other state or government agency.  If you need additional information on corporation filings, please visit: http://www.sunbiz.org/

Title 39, United States Code, Section 3001, makes it illegal to mail a solicitation in the form of an invoice, bill, or statement of account due unless it conspicuously bears a notice on its face that it is, in fact, merely a solicitation. This disclaimer must be in very large (at least 30-point) type and must be in boldface capital letters in a color that contrasts prominently with the background against which it appears. The disclaimer must not be modified, qualified, or explained, such as with the phrase "Legal notice required by law." It must be the one prescribed in the statute, or alternatively, the following notice prescribed by the U.S. Postal Service: THIS IS NOT A BILL. THIS IS A SOLICITATION. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO PAY THE AMOUNT STATED ABOVE UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER.