Beware fraudsters attempting to solicit FinCEN BOI data

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is warning small-business owners about fraudulent attempts to solicit beneficial ownership information (BOI) from entities subject to reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA).

These fraudulent scams may include:

• Correspondence that references a “Form 4022” or “Form 5102.”FinCEN does not have forms by those names. Do not send BOI to anyone by completing these forms.
• Correspondence or other documents referencing a “US Business Regulations Dept.” There is no government entity by this name.
• Correspondence requesting payment. There is no fee to file BOI directly with FinCEN. FinCEN does not send correspondence requesting payment to file BOI. Do not send money in response to any mailing regarding filing a BOI report that claims to be from FinCEN or another government agency.
• Correspondence that asks the recipient to click on a suspicious URL or to scan a suspicious QR code. Those emails or letters could be fraudulent. Do not click any such links or attachments or scan any QR codes.
• Correspondence regarding penalties. FinCEN does not send initial correspondence regarding CTA penalties via email or over the phone. Do not submit payments via phone, mail, or websites.

FinCEN recommended using caution when receiving correspondence from an unknown party. Verify the sender. Never give personal information, including BOI, to anyone unless you trust the other party.