Corporate Records Service : BEWARE! Tallahassee, Florida

I have a small S-Corporation listed with the State of Florida since 1992.  I pay my corporate attorney to prepare my annual corporate report each year and I file all appropriate documents and fees with the Florida Division of Corporations as necessary.

I recently received a very official-looking document from Corporate Records Service, Tallahassee, FL asking for $125.00 to prepare and provide 2012 Corporate Minutes that purportedly would meet the requirements of the Florida Business Corporations Act Chapter 607.1601 (1) and 607.0701 (1).  I was offered the opportunity to pay by check or provide credit card information and given 2 weeks in which to repond.

Concerned about a possible mix-up with my attorney, I consulted his office and was told this was an apparent phishing scam to obtain my personal information and credit card information.  Although the Corporate Records solicitation indicated Corporate Records Service is not a governement agency and does not have or contract with any government agency to provide this service, I can understand how unsuspecting recipients might be inclined to send them both money and vital information.  Even if Corporate Records Service does ultimately provide a corporate annual report, I wonder about its validity under the law and also whether there is any transfer of funds to the Division of Corporations.  And, what happens to the private corporate and credit card nformation that is requested in their Annual Minutes Requirement Form?  Corporate Records Service lists only a PO Box (5618) in Tallahassee, an e-mail address (records@corp-records.com), but no physical address or phone number.  I could not find a Yellow Pages listing for them in Tallahassee. 

I would be very careful in any dealings with Corporate Records Service, Tallahassee, FL.