OK it's happened twice now. Both Texas and California have sent notices to all their licensee's concerning fraudulent renewal notices. This is a really big problem. Not only are you paying someone who is not authorized to renew your license or collect a "service fee", they might be using your personal information for identity theft purposes. I would imagine the people responsible for this action are working their way around the country. Who knows, NY, VA, FL might be the next to send this notice out. I wrote this at 10AM this morning, it is now 5PM and I just got notice from TX again about ANOTHER scam. Please read this entire article. What the TX notice says is pretty much the same for every state.

I get a similar notice every year for my corporation papers in NY, a scam through and through. I always leave it for my tax girl, cause I love to see her get all hot and bothered about it :) Oh my does she carry on every year like she's never seen it before!

Notice from Texas, Feb. 8, 2010:
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) is warning all cosmetology licensees that mailed notices which appear to be from the National Cosmetology Association or Professional Certification Service regarding the expiration of a "professional certification" are a scheme to take your money. Upon careful examination of the notice you will see that it refers to a "certification renewal" and NOT your license renewal.  That notice has nothing to do with your Texas Cosmetology license and you should not respond to it.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and the National Cosmetology Association are not connected to that notice and are not a party to it. If you have further questions concerning this rip-off please contact TDLR at 1-800-803-9202 or by email at CS.Cosmetologists@license.state.tx.us.

Notice from California, July 2009:
A business called the California License Renewal Service has been mailing renewal notices to Board of Barbering and Cosmetology licensees.
 
The California License Renewal Service is neither associated with nor endorsed in any way by the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. The Board will mail you its own notice within 90 days of your license’s expiration date with instructions on how to file for renewal directly with the Board. There is no service charge associated with filing your renewal directly with the Board.
 
This business is operating out of a postal service box office and there is no record with the County of Sacramento for a fictitious business application to operate in Sacramento County. A search of the Secretary of State website California Business Portal indicates that there is no corporate, LP or LLC entity by the name of California License Renewal Service. The principals of this entity are unknown to the Board. The notice offers to file the licensee’s renewal application and fee with the Board in exchange for a “service fee” of up to $40.

Copy of the bogus bill: http://www.barbercosmo.ca.gov/forms_pubs/licrenew_scan.pdf - DO NOT PAY THIS!

Do not become a victim to these fraudulent practices. If your board is going to "out-source" the collection of license renewal fees, you can bet they will contact each and every one of you!

Protect yourself:

• Read the notice or email carefully.
• Know when your license is due up for renewal.
• If anything about the notice does not look right, contact your state board.
• Sign up for your state boards email-mailing list of they have one, Texas does and they are very pro-active about using it.

I will also add that in my quick research for this article, many of the state sites I went to had all kinds of really good information linked there. For instance, California had a Foot Spa Cleaning and Disinfecting video linked there. Moral of that story is if you've got a few minutes, check out the other state board sites besides your own!
http://www.beautytech.com/st_boards.htm

Just in from Texas TDLR:
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) is alerting Texas cosmetology licensees to another scam targeting cosmetologists.  TDLR has received reports of a man posing as a TDLR inspector to take money from cosmetologists in the Houston area.
 
According to these reports, the suspect falsely identifies himself as a TDLR inspector, steals items from salons and demands money for supposed license violations. He may even provide a receipt for the fake fines he collects.
 
The suspect is described as a short, clean-cut, heavy-set Hispanic male, approximately 40 years old. He wore a suit in previous incidents.
 
TDLR is aggressively pursuing this individual.
 
“TDLR will not allow unscrupulous people to take advantage of cosmetologists in Texas,” says William Kuntz, Executive Director of TDLR. “This scam artist is impersonating a public official to steal from law abiding citizens. Once he is apprehended, we will seek punishment to the fullest extent of the law.”
 
This is the second time TDLR recently warned of ploys to take money from Texas cosmetologists. Last week TDLR issued a fraud alert for deceptive mail requesting renewal fees.
 
A real TDLR inspector will never request or accept money under any circumstance while visiting a salon.
 
Real TDLR inspectors visiting a salon cannot and will not:

• accept payment of license fees
• request money for violations
• charge for copies of an inspection.

Real TDLR inspectors will:

• introduce themselves
• show their State of Texas employee ID card
• provide their contact information upon request
• provide their TDLR business card upon request
• provide a Proof of Inspection report before leaving

Cosmetologists in the Houston area should be sure to learn these signs so they can identify suspicious activity.
 
If you believe this individual has visited your salon or you have any concerns, please contact TDLR customer service at 800-803-9202 or CS.Cosmetologists@license.state.tx.us. Please contact the police immediately if you encounter this individual.