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HELENA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen is alerting Montana business owners about a new deceptive mailing that misleads new businesses by forcing them to pay exorbitant fees for various documents and registrations, including Employer Identification Number (EIN), Labor Law posters, and Certificate of Status.
The solicitation, titled “2026 Additional Business Documents Needed,” includes phrases such as “REQUIRED BY LAW” in red ink, frightens and worries businesses by referencing fines as high as $25,000, and lists urgent “respond by” dates, all of which can give the impression that the notice is an official government requirement. A brief solicitation disclaimer stating that the offer is merely an advertisement is intentionally written in small, nearly unreadable font.
“This mailing is designed to look official and scare new businesses into paying egregious fees for documents and services they can obtain directly from trusted government sources, often at a much lower cost or even for free,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “I made a promise to make it easier and more affordable to do business in Montana, and I won’t stand by and let deceptive solicitations undermine that work or take advantage of Montana’s job creators.”
The latest solicitation was brought to the attention of the Secretary of State’s Office by a Montana business. In response, Secretary Jacobsen immediately sent a cease-and-desist letter to the organization responsible for the mailer, demanding that the deceptive practice stop immediately.
This is not the first time Secretary Jacobsen has acted to protect Montana businesses from misleading solicitations. Secretary Jacobsen previously issued a cease-and-desist order to a different company, successfully forcing that organization to halt its deceptive practices and safeguarding business owners across the state.
Secretary Jacobsen reminds Montana businesses that the services advertised in these types of solicitations are not required to be purchased from third parties, and the companies sending them are not affiliated with the Montana Secretary of State’s Office, the IRS, the Department of Labor, or any other government agency. Official filings and records, such as Certificates of Existence, EIN applications, and labor law information, are available directly through government websites and the Secretary of State’s online business portal at https://biz.sosmt.gov/.
Secretary Jacobsen also reminds Montana businesses to:
- Look for disclaimers or fine print stating that the document is a solicitation, advertisement, or not associated with a government office or agency.
- Ignore mailings or emails demanding large fees for filings or certificates.
- Do not send any money to these companies. You may contact them directly to request removal from their mailing list or simply disregard their notices.
- Share this warning to help protect your fellow Montanans.
Examples of Business Solicitations
Click the links below to view examples of solicitations reported by Montana businesses.