$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
annual report filing fee scam
A company receives an official-looking notice demanding payment for its annual report filing, but the notice comes from a private company charging far more than the actual government fee.
“invoice scam”
↑ 2%Key indicators
Usually targetsSmall business owners
Often hitsFreelancers and contractors
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$960
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers use public business registration records to identify companies and their filing deadlines.
2
They send official-looking mailings that mimic government correspondence, demanding annual report fees far exceeding actual costs.
3
Business owners who pay receive either no filing at all or a filing that could have been done directly for a fraction of the cost.
What to do first
File your annual report directly through your state's Secretary of State website to pay only the actual government fee.
Related terms
annual report scamstate filing fee scamcorporate compliance invoice scamFake invoice scamsMailStableSmall business ownersStartupsFreelancersFreelancers and contractorsSmall business ownersPayroll, HR, and finance teamsUnited StatesCanadaannual report scamstate filing fee scam
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Wei, 45, a small business owners, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate fake invoice scams situation while using Mail. Scammers use public business registration records to identify companies and their filing deadlines.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: They send official-looking mailings that mimic government correspondence, demanding annual report fees far exceeding actual costs.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Business owners who pay receive either no filing at all or a filing that could have been done directly for a fraction of the cost.
The outcome
Wei realized something was wrong when the notice comes from a company with a name similar to your state's secretary of state office but is a private entity. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
File your annual report directly through your state's Secretary of State website to pay only the actual government fee. Wei's experience shows why the notice comes from a company with a name similar to your state's secretary of state office but is a private entity and the fee is two to five times higher than the actual state filing fee are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- The notice comes from a company with a name similar to your state's Secretary of State office but is a private entity
- The fee is two to five times higher than the actual state filing fee
- The mailing uses government-style formatting and urgent language about penalties for non-filing
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓File your annual report directly through your state's Secretary of State website to pay only the actual government fee.
- ✓Compare any mailing to the official state filing requirements and fees listed on the government website.
- ✓Report deceptive mailings to your state's attorney general office.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- Multiple state Secretaries of State have issued warnings about private companies sending deceptive annual report solicitations designed to look like official government notices.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓File your annual report directly through your state's Secretary of State website to pay only the actual government fee.
- ✓Compare any mailing to the official state filing requirements and fees listed on the government website.
- ✓Report deceptive mailings to your state's attorney general office.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
Multiple state Secretaries of State have issued warnings about private companies sending deceptive annual report solicitations designed to look like official government notices.
BBB Scam Tracker 2025
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Small business owners, Startups, Freelancers
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada
Primary channel
Mail — Fake invoice scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Small business owners are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The ongoing nature of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- Multiple state Secretaries of State have issued warnings about private companies sending deceptive annual report solicitations designed to look like official government notices.
Source notes
- BBB Scam Tracker 2025
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about annual report filing fee scam
How does the annual report filing fee scam work?+
Scammers use public business registration records to identify companies and their filing deadlines. They send official-looking mailings that mimic government correspondence, demanding annual report fees far exceeding actual costs. Business owners who pay receive either no filing at all or a filing that could have been done directly for a fraction of the cost.
What are the warning signs of annual report filing fee scam?+
The notice comes from a company with a name similar to your state's Secretary of State office but is a private entity The fee is two to five times higher than the actual state filing fee The mailing uses government-style formatting and urgent language about penalties for non-filing
What should I do if I encounter annual report filing fee scam?+
File your annual report directly through your state's Secretary of State website to pay only the actual government fee. Compare any mailing to the official state filing requirements and fees listed on the government website. Report deceptive mailings to your state's attorney general office.
Who is most at risk for annual report filing fee scam?+
This scam primarily targets Small business owners, Startups, Freelancers. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada and typically appears on Mail.
Is annual report filing fee scam still active?+
annual report filing fee scam is currently on our watch list. It has been reported across US, CA. Last updated 2026-04-04.
Recent reports
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.
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