New York business owners targeted in scam

New York State business owners have been receiving fraudulent mail soliciting money in order to comply with a nonexistent state corporate law, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in news release Monday warning of the scam.

The misleading mail includes an official-looking document titled "2014 Annual Corporate Minutes" with information on keeping corporate records and meeting minutes under New York's Business Corporation Law. The notice also asks the business owner to send $125 to the "Dept. of Business and Compliance" in order to satisfy corporate obligations under the law. No such law on filing meeting minutes and corporate records exists in New York. The only document a business must file regularly with the state is a biennial statement.

New York State is asking businesses that have received the fradulent mail to report it the Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection at 518-474-8583 or at dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection.