Virginia business owners are reporting an increase in official-looking mailings and emails demanding payment of “registration” or “annual” fees. These solicitations often use government-style language, seals, and formatting that give the false impression they come from the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). Our office receives multiple inquiries about these mailings each week, and unfortunately more than a few clients have responded to these solicitations before calling to ask if they are legitimate.
Several complaints identify solicitations branded as “Business Filing powered by Firstep,” “Fast Filing Services,” “Next Step Filings,” “The Virginia Commission for Corporations,” or similar entities. In many cases, the requested payment greatly exceeds the legitimate SCC fee – or covers a service the business does not actually need.
How the Scam Works
The pattern is consistent. A company receives a letter, postcard, or email warning that its business registration is about to expire or that it may face “revocation” or “dissolution” if an immediate fee is not paid. The notice directs payment to a private website such as busfile.org, paytofile.com, or a similar domain rather than to the official Virginia SCC site.
These companies usually charge from $150-195 to do nothing more than submit your annual SCC filing fee, which is only $50 for a limited liability company, and which can be submitted online through the SCC website for no additional charge.
While these companies sometimes include a small-print disclaimer stating that they are not affiliated with the government, the overall appearance of the notice and the urgent language often mislead recipients into believing action is required to remain in good standing. A sample disclaimer from one of these solicitations might look something like the language below, and is usually found in small print in an inconspicuous location:
You are NOT required to purchase anything from this company, and the company is NOT affiliated, endorsed, or approved by any governmental entity. The item offered in this advertisement has NOT been approved or endorsed by any governmental agency, and this offer is NOT being made by an agency of the government.
What the SCC Says
The Virginia State Corporation Commission has cautioned business owners to be on guard for deceptive solicitations. All legitimate registration and annual report fees are handled directly through the SCC’s online portal or by mail to the Commission itself—not through any private company. The SCC’s official website is: scc.virginia.gov
What You Can Do
If you receive a solicitation that looks suspicious, do not respond. Legitimate filing fee and annual report requests will only come from the Virginia State Corporation Commission, from your attorney, or from your Registered Agent. If you’ve already succumbed to one of these solicitations, it may be too late to recover your payment, but I would encourage you to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Protection Division of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office.
