Company targets new businesses with misleading invoice

June 26, 2019

Ohio businesses have reported receiving letters and invoices that appear to be from the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office or “OH Certified Services.” The invoice is for $67.50 and the sender requests that payment be sent to an address in Columbus. In actuality, this invoice is an advertisement to use a third-party company to provide a certificate that costs only $5 when going directly through the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.

To help avoid paying more than you need to, Ohioans with questions about the legitimacy of a letter that appears to be communication by a government office should call the government organization directly using a phone number they know to be legitimate. Consumers can find an organization’s real phone number and address through a phone book, official website or recent billing statement.