We wanted to address several issues that we hear continually on purchasing a shelf corporation, aged corporation with credit.

Here are the Facts and help with y our due dilligence.

If you are considering a purchase of a company with credit lines or loans you need to follow these guidelines to protect yourself from scammers on the internet:

1. How did you locate the seller? 

If on craigslist (or similar type website) 

... why would a reputable company have an ad on a this type of common website?  You are not going to a garage sale (no offense craigslist, but you are a host to thousands of scammers by your own disclosures on how to do business and whom to do business with)

Check with www.whois.com and see how long the website has been operating, if under 2 years you might want to look further.

Pay Per Click on Sponsered ads on the search engines also says check the web history.  Anybody with a new website can be on the first page by paying a fee and has nothing to do with age and experience.

2. Are you required to send funds prior to purchase?  Warning!

When a seller of aged corporations, shelf corporations and corporations with credit are legitimate they will meet with you face to face to complete the purchase process.

This includes:

1. Validation of the Company's Good Standing (Certificate) with the Secretary of States Office - most are online.

2. Validation of the Dunn and Bradstreet registration number and login to the account to view the company's profile.

3. Current bank statements?

- all lines of credit must be somehow paid, right?  - Go online to view the bank account - Every real company has bank accounts. 

4.  Bank Account Transfers?

- You must be made the new signatory on any/all bank accounts / lines of credit and must have the former signatories removed for your security also.

Check with your bank for this information.

5. NEW EIN Number at time of transfer?

- You dont want exposure for past taxes and the seller wants to distance themselves from your future taxes.

6. A real business purchase contract?

- these are 10-30 pages that include everything assets and liabilities.

7.. Do they have more than just a line of credit? 

- All real businesses must have at least 5 tradelines to get a business cash credit line

8. Do they want Front Money for Administrative Fees?

- Why not use an escrow account with the terms and conditions well defined!

9. All aged corporations should have Tax Returns! No Tax Filings?

10.  Corporate Address?

- Is it a Mail Drop at a UPS Store?  Dunn and Bradstreet's database knows the difference between a mailbox and a real office!

11.  Corporate Telephone Number with Auto Attendant and Voice Mail? 

-Once Again Dunn and Bradstreet knows a cell phone opposed to a real business telephone number and they always request the originating number or fax number to a Toll Free 800 number! 

We provide everything above with our companies with credit and with our services