Watch for deceiving bills in the mail

FORT MYERS, Fla. – A local woman has a warning for others about a deceiving bill she got in the mail.

Bonnie Lawrence runs Purrfect Paws Pet Nanny in Cape Coral. Recently, she went to her mailbox and found what appeared to be a bill from Florida Business Advisory. In the top right corner it said, “Final Notice,” and below it said if Lawrence did not comply to labor law requirements she may be fined. Below was listed “Fee: $104.”

The “notice” went on to say she was required to post a number of “required notices on their business premises to inform their employees of their legal rights.” The issue was Lawrence is the sole employee.

“I was going to call and see why [I had to pay] because I have no employees. When I couldn’t find a phone number I gave it to my husband…He noticed the postage was from California and the return was in Florida, so we sent it to you guys [Call for Action].”

The letter, which said it was from Florida Business Advisory had a return address that was for a P.O. Box in Boca Raton. Even more confusing, it stated she had to write a check to F.B.A.S., not Florida Business Advisory. According to the state, F.B.A.S. is registered to a man by the name of Edouard Joseph. We tried to contact Joseph, but could not find a number listed with his business registration.

Just days later, Lawrence got another letter in the mail from the Labor Compliance Service. This one appeared that she would get labor law posters but it would cost her $84, a lot more than what we were able to find for the cost of these posters online. Lawrence does not know why she has suddenly been targeted but she theorized it was because she had just registered her business as an LLC.

“They need to find a better way to make money because this is really sad and you know, sorry you didn’t get mine.”

Fortunately for her, she did not pay the money but she worries others might.

In November of 2015, the Better Business Bureau issued a warning for business owners about a similar notice.