MONTGOMERY — Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Fraud Enforcement Division of the U.S. Department of Justice to establish a data-sharing partnership aimed at identifying and combating business-related fraud in Alabama.
The agreement was signed during the Southeast Regional Fraud Enforcement Partnership conference in Columbia, South Carolina.
Under the memorandum of understanding, the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office will provide publicly available business registration records and Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) records to the Department of Justice on a regular basis at no cost. According to the Secretary of State’s Office, the information will be used to assist law enforcement in detecting fraudulent activity involving Alabama businesses.
Allen said the partnership is intended to strengthen efforts to protect businesses and consumers from fraud.
“I am committed to protecting Alabama businesses and consumers from the harmful effects of fraud. I fully support all efforts, including direct partnerships with federal law enforcement, to identify and combat criminal activity,” Allen said. “This memorandum of understanding will help us achieve our goal of eliminating business filing fraud, one step at a time.”
Allen also said his office has worked to make Alabama more business-friendly by reducing fees and simplifying administrative processes, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity of the state’s business filing system.
“As Secretary of State, I have worked hard to make Alabama a business-friendly place through cutting unnecessary fees and government red tape. Alabama businesses must be able to operate with confidence and know that their government is working to combat fraud and safeguard the integrity of our business filing system,” Allen said. “Regular engagement with law enforcement partners makes Alabama stronger, giving us the ability to detect fraud and assist investigators and prosecutors as they work to protect our businesses and consumers.”
The Secretary of State’s Office said the partnership is designed to improve coordination with federal law enforcement agencies and enhance efforts to detect, investigate, and prevent business filing fraud across Alabama.
