Business Background Search

I want to know who I am dealing with too!
Sometimes you are faced with dealing with a business of one type or another, that you know little to nothing about. The Department of the Secretary of State in each individual State is responsible for keeping up with the corporations and various other forms of businesses operating in their state. Thanks to the Internet these days many have websites with searchable listings available on line that give can yield valuable starting information. North Carolina's Department of Secretary of State is a good example of what kind of information can be gathered about a business from these types of listings. I would also check with the state's Attorney General office to see if they have a file on the business, and with the BBB (Better Business Bureau) too.