Writing is sometimes cathartic. Since I blog for my business, it only makes sense (to me at least) that I occasionally use this platform to talk about issues personally important to me.
The phrase “on his soapbox” is from the days of tub-thumping public speakers making spur-of-the-moment speeches on street corners standing on a wooden crate used to ship soap.People on their soapbox generally have struck me as being full of shit. That’s why I’m on a litterbox. If you see a post with this title, you might want to ignore it. Or, you might read it and decide I’m full of shit. I accept either of those outcomes.
Today I’m on my litterbox about scammers, and this post might be of some use to new business owners.
Holy crap scammers are everywhere, and they target new business owners. They get our names from the Secretary of State.
Scam #1: I received a threatening letter from Corporate Compliance Services, which looks like a government agency based on the Columbus return address printed on the mailing envelope. It informed I needed to remit $84 immediately for a labor law compliance poster and if I didn’t display it I would be fined $17,000. Huh? I don’t even have any employees. Who am I posting this for? The cat? A quick bit of online research and sure enough, scam.
Scam #2: I registered with SAM.gov, which allows you to bid on government contracts. In multiple places on SAM.gov they remind you this is a FREE process. A few days later I receive an email saying my SAM registration has been received and is processing. The next step is to assign my company to a senior case manager who will file my details to the appropriate databases as required per Federal Acquisition Regulations. For this, a $599 registration fee is due immediately. I immediately went to the Federal Service Help Desk online chat to double check the legitimacy of this request. Scam.
I don’t have a scam #3 to share…yet. Too bad. I’m violating the rule of three. But I’m sure it won’t be long before I can update this post.
The experience has really left a bad taste in my mouth. Starting a new business is hard enough…and small business is supposed to be the backbone of America. Who are these jerkfaces trying to break our backs?
Be aware. Be vigilant. And don’t pay anyone anything without investigating.
Update: March 30, 2018
I have scam #3. I received this official-looking letter in the mail. My husband was completely freaked out and asked what I had done wrong.
If you read the text on this last image carefully, you’ll see this firm is a “non-government publisher” of copyrighted compliance posters.
At least they were only going to charge me $5.95 for the poster (an extra $10 if I want it laminated), so it might be a good deal if I had an office and employees for whom I needed to display this to. But why not just sell me a poster vs. scaring me into thinking I’m violating the law?