Oregon business owners beware: an official-looking website selling federal employment identification numbers (FEINs) and sales tax certificates is a scam. The website at  http://www.online-tax-id-number.org/ claims that if you live in Oregon and sell or ship something to someone else in Oregon, then you must collect and pay sales tax to the State of Oregon. There is no sales tax in Oregon, so businesses don’t need a sales tax certificate. The Web site also charges for what it claims are FEINs, but they are issued by the IRS and businesses can get them free.

Anyone who believes they have been approached by a scammer should call the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline at 1-877-877-9392 or go to the department’s Web site: www.oregonattorneygeneral.gov. To stay informed about scams, sign up for the Scam Alert Network at: https://www.doj.state.or.us/finfraud/scamalertnetwork.shtml

Oregon Attorney General this week unveiled Be InfORmed, a new Web feature that allows consumers to look up complaints about businesses: www.oregonattorneygeneral.gov/beinformed

Contact:

Consumer Protection Hotline: 1-877-877-9392 |

Online: www.oregonattorneygeneral.gov |

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