BB Serving Wisconsin is warning trucking companies about letters arriving via postal mail informing them that their USDOT number is “past due.”
The letters say “PAST DUE” and says the company needs to finish its “biennial update”, claiming: “failure to do so may result (in) civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day.”
The trucking company business owner who brought the letter he received to our office said that his DOT license was up to date and nothing was due.
The company’s name is actually “Compliance Educators” and is located in Princeton, LA. Going to the company’s website asks them to enter their USDOT number and credit card information.
According to the BBB Serving Northeast and Central Louisiana’s report, which is in the service area of Compliance Educators, the Iowa Department of Justice and Office of the Attorney General issued a settlement action in August, 2018 against Compliance Educators. Its investigation was a result of a complaint from an Iowa trucker who received a warning letter that he thought to be from a government agency threatening past due fines.
The Louisiana-based company and its owner, (Ray) Scott Rister, agreed to make refunds of fees to owners of Iowa trucking companies who received a warning letter and paid a filing fee. The company paid $7,000 to the state’s consumer fraud enforcement fund and agreed to refrain from doing business in Iowa.
“This is nothing but a scare tactic to get money, and we’re thankful to the trucker that brought his letter into our office so we could warn other truckers,” said Jim Temmer, CEO and president of the BBB Serving Wisconsin.
The BBB Serving Northeast and Central Louisiana has received twenty complaints against Compliance Educators within its three-year reporting period.
The BBB recommends that, if contacted by this business, check with the DOT to find out if fees need to be paid to the DOT and what training is required by your business.
If you received such a letter and wish to file a complaint or write a customer review, click here
