The government shouldn't stay quiet about statewide business scams

A lot of questions follow any reporting our office releases on 30 N. Gould St. Following the release of our most recent article on the topic, published in the Monday edition of The Sheridan Press, things were no different. 

People wonder how illegitimate companies can operate in the first place — and why Wyoming, specifically 30 N. Gould St., is often their home. People who have fallen prey to a scam often wonder why the issue persists.

There are no simple answers to these questions. Wyoming takes pride in being a business-friendly state with great tax breaks and privacy protection, but along with that comes a number of ways illegitimate companies can cheat the system and operate a limited liability company (LLC) without it being considered illegal. 

Shady, yes, but not illegal.

Meanwhile, calls keep rolling in. The Sheridan Press office receives multiple messages a week from people who have been scammed by companies represented by registered agents or registered commercial agents at 30 N. Gould St. The Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce receives even more. 

These callers are often angry and upset about the situations they’ve found themselves in, whether it’s a faulty product, a missing package or a case of identity theft. They call because they are eager to talk about their experience, especially if it means getting closer to solving this issue. 

But at the same time, other groups stay strangely and suspiciously quiet.

Like the Wyoming State Attorney General’s office, which has not picked up phone calls from The Sheridan Press about this issue. Or the Better Business Bureau Serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming, which has also not answered a single phone call made by The Sheridan Press over the past few weeks. Wyoming state Sen. Barry Crago, who has proposed bills regarding registered agent transparency in Wyoming, also declined to comment for The Press’s most recent story on 30 N. Gould St. scams.

The Secretary of State’s office provided one statement but did not respond to multiple requests for follow-up regarding the office’s vetting and audit processes and interactions with the registered agent community. 

These questions may take time to respond to, but they are important. It’s easy to peg the media as “annoying” or “bothersome,” but the reality is the questions aren’t something angrily drummed up one afternoon in the office. They represent the requests, complaints and questions from the hundreds of people seeking answers.

From the media’s perspective, the agencies and individuals who have the power to move the needle on this issue are ignoring it. And this silence speaks louder than words.

We continue to report on this issue because the calls keep coming in, and they haven’t slowed down. Illegitimate companies continue to hurt reputable Wyoming businesses, and until that issue stops, we won’t stop covering it. 

But more answers and action from those in power wouldn’t hurt.