(Des Moines, IA) -- A Florida company's being ordered to send refunds to 12-hundred Iowa businesses. The Iowa Attorney General's Office says Centurion Filing Services used government look-alike letters to sell unnecessary documents. The Iowa A-G's office says the comany violated the state's Consumer Fraud Act. Centurion Filing has agreed to send nearly 80-thousand dollars in refunds to Iowa businesses and charities. The company has also agreed to stop sending such mail.
“Centurion misled Iowa businesses and charities during a time when many were already struggling amid the pandemic,” Miller said. “We are pleased to come to a resolution with Centurion that provides refunds to Iowa businesses and charities. While Centurion may no longer be in the business of sending deceptive mailers in our state, that doesn't mean consumers should let their guard down. Read all mailers carefully and contact government agencies if you are unsure if these letters are legitimate.”
In November 2020, the state sued Centurion Filing Services and Marshlack alleging that the St. Petersburg, Fla., company violated the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act.
The lawsuit claimed, Centurion — using the name “IA Certificate Service” and a Des Moines address from a UPS Store — sent out more than 7,000 mailers to Iowa business owners which looked like government invoices. The letters stated “your articles have been filed with the secretary of state and are complete,” and instructed businesses to order a “Iowa Certificate of Existence” for $67.50.
Business certificates of existence are available from the Iowa Secretary of State for $5.
The AG's Office maintains many business owners believed that the letter was from the Secretary of State. Those who bought the certificates paid a markup of over 1000% from the $5 fee.
Centurion has agreed to provide $62.50 per transaction to every Iowa consumer who bought the certificate and were not previously refunded. The total amount to be reimbursed to Iowans will be $78,900.00. The AG's Office says 1,263 transactions were completed.
The AG’s Office will send refunds directly to Iowa business owners and charity operators beginning in March. The envelope will include information about the settlement, and consumers who wish to verify the check is legitimately from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office may call the enclosed number.
Photo: Iowa Attorney General's Office