Texas takes action against California company targeting small businesses nationwide
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Consumer Complaints, Buyer Beware

Texas officials filed charges against two Californians operating a business under the name Compliance Services that solicits money from small business owners in the name of getting them to comply with the law.Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott won a temporary restraining order preventing Compliance Services and principals Selwyn Monarch and Gayle N. Standford from sending the mailings to Texas businesses. Other states, including Massachusetts, Ohio and Florida have warned against this and other similar attempts to solicit money from business owners. Here's an example of one of the mailings.
Officials say business owners are being sent official looking form labeled "Annual Minutes Requirement Statement" and are being asked to pay $125-$150 in filing fees or risk breaking state law requiring meeting minutes to be filed. The minutes are not required to be filed.Texas is seeking restitution for the businesses that paid the money.
"The bogus forms' seemingly official appearance and references to statutory authority, as well as statement about liability for failure to pay fees, misled Texas businesses into purchasing the defendant's worthless services," the attorney general's office said in a statement.



Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
6-26-2009 @ 6:01PM
Audrey, CA said...
Just read about the Acai berry scam, my friend paid $40.00 for a small bottle ot it! Now there is another scam and I HAVE BEEN HAD! AOL has a web site called Easy White and another called Advanced Systems Research which are offering "free sample kits for teeth whitening" and all you have to pay is the S & H of $6.99. YEAH AND PIGS FLY I sent for the sample kit and they billed my credit card over $73.00 and tell me I will be getting monthly kits for that amount plus additional "packaging charges" HELP ME SOMEONE
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6-27-2009 @ 2:13PM
CMB said...
Audrey,
I would recommend calling the attorney general's office and see what can be done. I wish you the best of luck.
6-27-2009 @ 8:49AM
Rebecca said...
Don't worry. You'll be fine, but it's going to be a heck of a fight. First contact your credit card company and tell them about the scan so they can put an alert on your account they cannot charge anything further. Then contact your states Consumer Affairs department, as well as, The Better Business Bureau (you can file with the BBB online) and select false advertising and for resolution you want your monies returned. Now you may not get the $6.99 back, but definitely the $73.00. Best of luck. It's okay. I think every other person including myself have been caught up in such a scheme. Just follow my instructions and you'll be okay. Trust me been there and done that.
6-27-2009 @ 9:46AM
tina angel said...
Besides all that you can dispute the charge with your credit card comp. if you have the recepit it will help all the better
6-27-2009 @ 12:54PM
JoBeth said...
Call their 800 number, tell the you are not paying and you are contacting your credit card company to put a dispute against the people who are harrassing. Then call the States Attorney's office in the state the company is affiliated with. They will take care of you. Been there, did that. Thank God, a success story.
6-27-2009 @ 1:49PM
rlmoore1269 said...
Contact your states attorney...but before you do read the ad that you responded to. Unfortunately the main reason most people get duped is because there is small print in which you agree to do a, b, and c..
6-27-2009 @ 2:21PM
mage0213 said...
Audrey, if you used a debit card you can contact your bank, tell them it was an unauthorized charge, they will normally credit your acocunt with the money while they do their research. you will hawever have to order a new debit card because the bank will probably cancel the card, I have been struck several times and each time my bank HAS taken care of it.. it took slightly less than a month for my account to be straightened out.. iF it was a credit card (not a debit) card you can still contact the issuer and tell them it was fraud.. also maybe you could report the theft to your local police department
6-27-2009 @ 6:28AM
Bob said...
I always thought you had to be an expert to make money on the Internet. I came across this site: http://cli.gs/MakeMoneyOnGoogle one day and happened to qualify for the free kit! The way it has changed my live is incredible.
It didn't take long for me to start bringing in a few hundred dollars per week! I couldn't believe it! I have recommended this kit to all of my friends: http://cli.gs/MakeMoneyOnGoogle
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6-27-2009 @ 7:23AM
Todd said...
There are scams out there, I lost some money a while ago and luckily I stopped putting money in 6 years ago, I tried to get my money back and it was to late. I would recommend people to stay away from World Financial group and Western Reserve Life, they scammed me out of some money. I hope everyone have a good summer and don't believe anything that sounds to good to be true.
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6-27-2009 @ 9:04AM
MARY said...
There are several scams going on right now right under the AOL wing. The acai berry, teeth whitening and reduce cellulose are really trouble makers. They offer a free trial sample and all you have to do is pay S&H of $5-$6. You have 15 days to cancel your so-called membership; otherwise they will electronically take out $70 or $80, even $90 every month from your account. Trouble is, no one answers the phone to accept the cancel call. Or the website has no place to type the cancellation. One of these has been caught and has to repay the monies it falsely removed from the bank accounts. This scam is in beauty and anything that sounds like a great deal, with free samples and a small S&H. BUYER BEWARE. THE OLD "IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT IS A SCAM". IF YOU WANT TO GET LOW COST PRODUCTS, JUST GO TO YOUR LOCAL DOLLAR STORE, NEIGHBORHOOD WALMART, KMART, ETC., OR THE CLUBS SUCH AS COSTCO, SAM'S, ETC. SAVE COUPONS, READ EVERYTHING THOROUGHLY, AND SHOP LOCALLY, IN CASE AN ITEM NEEDS TO BE RETURNED. THE LARGE SHOPPING CHANNELS ARE SAFE, BUT YOU NEED TO RETURN YOUR ITEMS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF YOUR INVOICE OR ORDER DATE, INSURE EVERYTHING, AND RETURN IT ON YOUR OWN, WHICH IS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THEIR PREPAID SHIPPING LABEL. Unfortunately, we do live in a greedy world, where people and companies are out to get you, so you need to use common sense, and stay away from things that you question. And that goes for men and women who become your sudden best friend, then come up with a story for money, working on your sympathy and known assets. It goes on way too often, and is as old as the ladies of the night.
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6-27-2009 @ 9:46AM
SARAH said...
and also every work at home OPPORTUNITY AD ARE scams ALSO
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6-27-2009 @ 10:04AM
echo3000 said...
There is no quick fix or easy way out. But there is a solution to gaining financial security. As with any new career, it will take some effort on your part to aquire and learn new skills in order to achieve maximum success. Start an exciting new career with our team at http://www.rescueyourwallet.com and we will give you the tools, training and support needed so that you may have the best opportunity to achieve your level of desired success.
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6-27-2009 @ 10:13AM
Joseph P. Passaretti said...
This sounds like it's from 'Obama's' camp --- ACORN
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6-27-2009 @ 11:16AM
pete said...
Maybe it's time to bring back crucifixion for those who start these scams.
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6-27-2009 @ 10:57AM
Tom said...
Rebecca says..." It's okay. I think every other person including myself have been caught up in such a scheme. " That's because all of them are just too damn gullible. There have been warnings, blogs and news articles about these scams in here for years. WAKE THE F**K UP, PEOPLE!! The only reason they're still around is because of people like Rebecca.
Stop paying attention and they'll eventually disappear. There is NO free ride. You want white teeth....go see your dentist. You want to lose weight...go see your doctor.
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6-27-2009 @ 11:04AM
apachewolf08 said...
Many people are greedy, and often act stupid. If you believe that a COMPANY that will teach you how to make money uses an email address with gmail, well than you are asking for it. If they can't afford their own domain they probably have nothing to offer.If they charge your credit card unauthorized, dispute it and report the card lost (if you don't have control over the spending on the card is really is lost), they will send you a new card in a few days.
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6-27-2009 @ 11:13AM
Dave said...
quit whinning make examples out of people who scam others. send them to prison for 20 years. If a good person make a mistake he or she goes to jail. a criminal gets a good lawyer with his scammed money and continues his or her criminal acts. make these mf pay they will stop.
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6-27-2009 @ 11:30AM
Alex said...
people are stupid all junk mail I do not even open straight to the trash all junk e-mail I delete
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6-27-2009 @ 12:23PM
Rob said...
If you look at the "example" included in the story you'll see that it states that "this product has not been approved or endorsed by any governmental agency and this offer is not being made by an agency of the government". It further goes to say that "This is a solicitation". When in doubt all it would take is someone opening their eyes and actually reading what it says. The only issue that I would take is their falsely using state seals on a solicitation. Further, typically a small mom and pop store wouldn't have annual share holders meetings. Not excusing what these people did....just saying that if the recepients bothered to actually read the mail they received, they'd know it wasn't from the government and that it was a solicitation of services.
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6-27-2009 @ 12:36PM
Stan said...
Paid under $6 for a Google kit. Never received it. Next month got a bill for $73. Credit Card Company issued credit for all of it.
Giant rip off. No longer use Google, now use Bing.
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