Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams warns Kentuckians that scammers are attempting to charge for information that is available free from his office. (Photo by Getty Images)
Secretary of State Michael Adams advised Kentuckians about a new scam around finance filings.
In a Friday press release, Adams said scammers are attempting to sell Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings — but those are available online for free.
“My Office does not solicit Kentuckians to purchase records, or charge exorbitant fees,” said Adams. “Beware of any third-party solicitation to purchase documents from our Office.”
According to the secretary of state’s office website, banks, mortgage companies and other lending institutions file such financing statements. The UCC division within the office can be contacted at 502-564-3490.
The press release said a recent scam from “KY UCC Statement Service” has asked debtors listed on UCC-1 finance statements to send $98 to get a copy of their UCC financing statement form. However, those records are on the secretary of state’s website. Any suspected fraudulent mailings may be reported to the Office of Consumer Protection in the attorney general’s office.