https://secure.utah.gov/abr/abr
Utah – 2014
Description of the Innovation:
Business Fraud Alert notifies business owners and registered agents when a change has been made to a business’
registration record. Email notifications are sent within 24 hours if any of the following changes are recorded by the
state:



Edit Business Address
Add/Edit/Remove Registered Agent
Add/Edit/Remove Registered Principal
Business Fraud Alert helps combat corporate identity theft and the problems that arise from unauthorized changes
made to business records. With the growing threat of identity theft to businesses across the nation, Utah has taken
important steps to protect business owners’ investments.
Any interested party or individual can sign up to receive notification of changes to any business entity. This makes it
possible for multiple individuals to be notified of any change to a single business entity.
Launched in June 2013 by the Utah Department of Commerce, Business Fraud Alert gives the 18,200 subscribers an
additional tool to combat the risk of fraudulent activities. Subscribers activate the service from the Business Renewal
website while renewing a business.
Effectiveness:
 Enroll and receive alerts automatically 24 hours per
day, 7 days per week.
 Automates the process and reduces time spent
checking, monitoring, or verifying business
registrations.
 Unauthorized changes are easier to detect and
address in a timely matter.
 2013 Subscriptions to Fraud Alert: 13,976
Originality
 Previously businesses would need to be vigilant of
their business entity status by using the State’s online
business entity search. If a change was made to the
business entity, they would only be aware if they
were constantly checking the website.
Significance and Transferability:
 If all businesses subscribed to Business Fraud Alert it
would dramatically diminish the ability of individuals
to commit corporate identity theft. This technology
enables subscribers to maintain constant vigilance on
their business throughout the year. Business Fraud
Alert can serve as a simple model for other groups
that would benefit from automated notifications.
Admin Website
 Search for a user by email address
 Show email addresses and the businesses they are
associated to
 Turn off receiving emails
 Edit the email address.
 Report list of email addresses, entity name, service signup
date & time, service expiration date.
 Report list of emails sent, including email address, business
name, date sent
 Report list of “requests” that will expire in the next 30
days
FURTHER QUESTIONS?
Kathy Berg – Utah Department of Commerce, Division
of Corporations and Commercial Code
kberg@utah.gov
OR
Chris Rice – Utah Interactive
crice@utahinteractive.org