This company is not a legitimate business. It is a scam to get money to renew your DBA but they just take your money and do nothing. Their address is for an old, non-decript small office in Sacramento with no signage showing this "business". The phone number listed is for Yuba City, CA, not Sacramento.
FBNRC or Fictitious Name Business Renewal Center searches your business name through the public database or county records. The company sends you a letter citing California law codes stating that your fictitious business name is going to expire soon and that you must pay the renewal fees on or before the due date given on the letter. Your options are to pay via check or to have them charge your credit card. There is no online service option.
As of today's date November 2023, the renewal fee is normally $36. This company is charging $159.
I called the San Diego County Recorder's office and they are well aware of this company and other companies that perform similar services. These companies prey on unsuspected people who don't read and understand what is written in the letter. In addition, businesses often forget that the renewal fees are only $36 and you can simply renew online in a matter of minutes. The key difference, the representative said, is that the letter does state that they are NOT a government agency, and this is the key difference.
Unfortunately, they are within their legal right to perform these services and charge a nominal fee for their services so the FTC will not get involved unless they break the law.
Without requesting for, nor soliciting for the service, I received an official looking request for payment for renewal of my Fictitious Business Name, as what might come from the County Recorder or Clerk. Requesting payment of $150 to get my FBN renewed, when it costs $58 to file the renewal personally.
Knowing what it cost for filing my previous FBN statement, I googled the name of the company and found others having had received the same note, with the suggestion to file a report with the rip-off website.
Fictitious Business Name Renewal Center - SCAM ALERT!!!
Received a letter through the mail stating my company name is about to expired. Looked up online for FBNRC number indicated on the form which showed up as no record found. Usually for government website they most likely will give us an option to renew online with our credit card instead of requesting us to provide all information on the form with our signature. Anyone should be very careful about this company sending out renewal form.
I see that there are many complaints out there and am so annoyed by this company that I want to add another. I don't like the unethical nature of their letters they send out to me and possibly every business owner in the state.
I was at first fooled by what appeared to be an official document, though I knew that I had about six months left before I needed to file and would receive the real letter from my county office. I then went online to look them up and all these complaints showed up. The only rebuttal I saw was someone stating that, technically, this is not a scam.
I agree that it is not a scam if they offer a service to businesses. $150 is not a crazy amount to pay for a service that a business needs and doesn't have the time to deal with.
But I can't find any real promise of any service. I don't trust their "late night infomercial" style of advertising. Instead, I find a lot of "Return No Later Than" and "Send Your Check".
My gut tells me that they prey upon the naive and unsavvy and, therefore, are unethical.
If I am wrong about my complaints and everyone else on here is also wrong with their complaints, then prove it to us.
Fictitious Business Name Renewal Center Reviews
This company is not a legitimate business. It is a scam to get money to renew your DBA but they just take your money and do nothing. Their address is for an old, non-decript small office in Sacramento with no signage showing this "business". The phone number listed is for Yuba City, CA, not Sacramento.
FBNRC or Fictitious Name Business Renewal Center searches your business name through the public database or county records. The company sends you a letter citing California law codes stating that your fictitious business name is going to expire soon and that you must pay the renewal fees on or before the due date given on the letter. Your options are to pay via check or to have them charge your credit card. There is no online service option.
As of today's date November 2023, the renewal fee is normally $36. This company is charging $159.
I called the San Diego County Recorder's office and they are well aware of this company and other companies that perform similar services. These companies prey on unsuspected people who don't read and understand what is written in the letter. In addition, businesses often forget that the renewal fees are only $36 and you can simply renew online in a matter of minutes. The key difference, the representative said, is that the letter does state that they are NOT a government agency, and this is the key difference.
Unfortunately, they are within their legal right to perform these services and charge a nominal fee for their services so the FTC will not get involved unless they break the law.
Without requesting for, nor soliciting for the service, I received an official looking request for payment for renewal of my Fictitious Business Name, as what might come from the County Recorder or Clerk. Requesting payment of $150 to get my FBN renewed, when it costs $58 to file the renewal personally.
Knowing what it cost for filing my previous FBN statement, I googled the name of the company and found others having had received the same note, with the suggestion to file a report with the rip-off website.
Fictitious Business Name Renewal Center - SCAM ALERT!!!
Received a letter through the mail stating my company name is about to expired. Looked up online for FBNRC number indicated on the form which showed up as no record found. Usually for government website they most likely will give us an option to renew online with our credit card instead of requesting us to provide all information on the form with our signature. Anyone should be very careful about this company sending out renewal form.
I see that there are many complaints out there and am so annoyed by this company that I want to add another. I don't like the unethical nature of their letters they send out to me and possibly every business owner in the state.
I was at first fooled by what appeared to be an official document, though I knew that I had about six months left before I needed to file and would receive the real letter from my county office. I then went online to look them up and all these complaints showed up. The only rebuttal I saw was someone stating that, technically, this is not a scam.
I agree that it is not a scam if they offer a service to businesses. $150 is not a crazy amount to pay for a service that a business needs and doesn't have the time to deal with.
But I can't find any real promise of any service. I don't trust their "late night infomercial" style of advertising. Instead, I find a lot of "Return No Later Than" and "Send Your Check".
My gut tells me that they prey upon the naive and unsavvy and, therefore, are unethical.
If I am wrong about my complaints and everyone else on here is also wrong with their complaints, then prove it to us.