State warns of unofficial annual business report solicitations

HONOLULU — The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Business Registration Division is repeating its warning to local businesses and the public about unofficial solicitations being sent out regarding annual business report filings.

It has previously issued warnings regarding these notices with regards to “Workplace Compliance Services,” however identical notices are now being disseminated from “C.P.S.” as well. “C.P.S.” and “Workplace Compliance Services” have been sending unsolicited mailings labeled “2019 – Annual Report Instruction Form (Hawaii Businesses)” to numerous businesses in Hawaii, with instructions to fill out the form and submit it, along with a $125 payment.

“We are reissuing our notice regarding this solicitation because we are extremely concerned that recipients could be misled by it and erroneously believe that it comes from a state agency. On the contrary, ‘C.P.S.’ and ‘Workplace Compliance Services’ are not government agencies, have no affiliation with one, and appear to use a mail drop as their company address”, said Ty Nohara, Hawaii Commissioner of Securities.

Neither company is registered with DCCA to conduct business in the state.

The state department does not endorse or utilize the services of “C.P.S.”, “Workplace Compliance Services” or any other third-party company to collect or file annual business reports.

If you are ever unsure about the legitimacy of a notice you receive regarding your business filings, we encourage you to contact the Business Registration Division via email at breg@dcca.hawaii.gov or call (808) 586-2727 before responding to the notice.

All businesses registered in the state can file their annual reports directly online in the quarter that it is due. The online fees for filing annual reports with BREG are as follows: LLC’s, profit corporations and LLP’s: $12.50; nonprofit corporations: $2.50; and partnerships: $5.00.

To find your business’ annual report information online, visit: http://hbe.ehawaii.gov/annuals. For filing-related questions, please visit www.businessregistrations.com, email breg@dcca.hawaii.gov, or call (808) 586-2727.