NY AG Letitia James shuts down sites made to look like official NY webpages
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ALBANY — Attorney General Letitia James shut down a pair of phony websites made to look like the official New York State Department of State page and used to overcharge New Yorkers for services provided by the agency.
The fraudulent sites, created by Thomas Romano and his company, Steamin’ Weenie LLC, mirrored the department’s Division of Corporations site by using the agency’s official seal and logo.
One of the pages charged $135 for a certified copy of a certificate of incorporation, a service provided by the state for just $10.
“Misleading consumers is not a smart business plan, it’s unethical and illegal,” James said in a statement Wednesday. “These websites deceived hardworking New Yorkers who were simply trying to open up their own business and file the necessary paperwork to do so.
“Scam artists may think they are savvy, but breaking state laws and conning New Yorkers will get you into hot water with my office,” she added.
According to James’ office, there were no disclosures on the websites explaining that they were operated by a private third-party agreeing to file documents on behalf of their users.
The sites adopted “significant elements of the look and feel of the official website” and copied graphical elements, per the AG.
The homepage of one website had a logo “substantially similar to the one displayed on the official website,” a slightly modified version of the state seal, and a customer support phone number was listed with an Albany area code.
In addition to shutting down the websites, Romano, of East Meadow, L.I., must pay $44,387 in penalties.
Romano and his company are also barred from using any government logos, seals, or other similar iconography to deceive consumers into believing that they are dealing with a government entity.
James’ office offered tips for New Yorkers to ensure they’re dealing with a website affiliated with the state government, including looking for a “.gov” web address and clear contact information such as a working phone number, a real address, and social media links.
