N.Y. AG Shuts Down 2 Websites for Impersonating NYSDOS

The Office of New York Attorney General Letitia James shut down two websites for impersonating the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS) and for significantly overcharging users for services provided by the genuine department, said the office Wednesday. The websites, created by Thomas Romano and his company, Steamin’ Weenie, misled consumers into believing they were the real thing by using the agency’s official seal and logo, it said. They let users file various business-related documents with federal, state and local entities for much higher prices than NYSDOS offered, it said. One of the websites charged $135 for a certified copy of a certificate of incorporation, which generally costs about $10 from NYSDOS, it said. The NYSDOS helps individuals file paperwork for their businesses, such as corporate registry documents, or start a limited liability company, said the office. “There were no disclosures on the websites that they were operated by a private third-party agreeing to file documents on behalf of their users,” it said. In addition to shutting down the websites, the office secured nearly $45,000 in penalties from the company and its owner Romano, it said.