Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett issued a new warning to businesses across the state today about a deceptive mail scam related to the filing of annual business renewals from a company known as Tennessee Business Filing Center. Hargett stated, “Our Division of Businesses and Charitable Organizations and I have recently received multiple complaints regarding a misleading mailer requesting hundreds of dollars in fees from businesses to complete their annual renewal process.” He went on to say...

As part of this scheme, businesses receive an official-looking mailer from a company threatening additional fees and business dissolution if an entity does not file within 60 days of the April 1 deadline. That said, make sure the letter you're reading is actually from the state...

Businesses are required to complete their annual filings with the state by April 1 each year. These reports update or confirm an entity’s records with the Department of State, and they are required to maintain “active status” so a business can legally operate in the state.

• To file an annual report, please visit https://tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/AnnualReportID.aspx.

“All Tennessee business owners should be wary of any mailing they receive from third parties offering services provided by our office,” Secretary Hargett added. “These parties are not affiliated with us in any way, and we encourage businesses to report any suspicious activity related to this situation.”

To report suspicious activity to the Division of Business and Charitable Organizations, email TNSOS.CERT@tn.gov. You can also call (615) 741-2286.  To file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office, call (615) 741-3491 or visit Attorney General & Reporter. To file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office, call (615) 741-3491 or visit Attorney General & Reporter (tn.gov)