FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: May 21, 2020 Contact: Scott Graf Phone: (208) 334-4112

Boise, Idaho – Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and Secretary of State Lawerence Denney are alerting Idaho business owners to a deceptive and misleading mailing. The mailing is from a company called ID Certificate Service and is a request form for a 2020 certificate of existence.

Certificates of existence are issued by the Secretary of State to requesting businesses who want to show customers or others that they are properly registered to do business in Idaho. The mailing was not authorized by the Secretary of State nor is the sender affiliated with the state in any way. Business owners are not required by the state to purchase a certificate of existence, and any certificates sold by ID Certificate Service are not official.

“It is beyond unfortunate that companies attempt to deceive and mislead people in pursuit of illegitimate profit,” Denney says. “But nonetheless these scams persist. We wish to remind Idaho business owners that if at any time you question the authenticity of a request for business information or a statement requesting payment for a service, please contact our office or the Idaho Attorney General.”

The mailer offers the unofficial certificate for $73.50. A legitimate certificate through the Secretary of State’s Office is $10.

“Idaho business owners are facing challenging enough times as it is,” Wasden says. “They don’t need anyone preying on them with less-than-genuine offerings. I encourage Idahoans who receive this mailer to ignore it.”

An example of the mailer is available here.

The Secretary of State’s Office can be reached by calling 208-334-2301. Business owners can reach the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 208-334-2424 or toll free at 1-800-432-3545.

ABOUT LAWERENCE DENNEY

Lawerence Denney has served the people of Idaho since 1990. His public service began as a representative in District 13 and, following redistricting, he became a representative in District 9 until 2014. During that time, Denney served two terms as Majority Leader and three terms as Speaker of the House before successfully running for state office. He is currently in his second term as Idaho’s Secretary of State.