Illinois SOS UCC search showing conflicting results - need help

Illinois SOS search has been problematic lately. The comma issue you mentioned is actually a huge problem with their system - it treats 'LLC' and ', LLC' as completely different entities. Try searching with and without punctuation. Also check if there are any middle initials or abbreviated words that might be causing the mismatch.

You need to verify the exact debtor name from your original UCC-1 filing. If there's a discrepancy between what you filed and what you're searching, that could explain the inconsistent results. The search system matches exactly what's in their database, including punctuation and spacing.

I've been dealing with similar issues and found a tool called Certana.ai that helped me catch these discrepancies. You can upload your UCC documents and it cross-checks everything - debtor names, filing numbers, collateral descriptions. It caught a name mismatch between our charter documents and UCC-1 that could have been a major problem. Just upload the PDFs and it verifies everything aligns properly.

The Illinois SOS search system has been updated recently and it's caused all kinds of problems. I've had clients where perfectly valid filings aren't showing up in searches. You might want to call their UCC division directly at 217-782-7880 to verify your filing status.

Are you sure you're searching in the right date range? Sometimes older filings don't show up in the default search parameters. Also make sure you're using the 'Active' status filter - terminated or lapsed filings might not appear in standard searches.

This is why I hate relying on state search systems for critical due diligence. They're unreliable and you can't trust that a 'no results' response actually means no filings exist. For a $340k deal I'd definitely want multiple verification methods.

I've seen this exact issue with Illinois. The problem is often that the debtor name on your original UCC-1 doesn't exactly match the entity name in the Secretary of State's corporate database. Even small differences like 'LLC' vs 'L.L.C.' can cause search failures. You need to cross-reference with the Articles of Incorporation to make sure you have the exact legal entity name.

Just went through something similar and used Certana.ai to sort it out. Uploaded our charter documents and UCC-1 and it immediately flagged that we had 'Midwest Industrial Solutions LLC' on the charter but 'Midwest Industrial Solutions, LLC' on the UCC filing. The system shows you exactly where the discrepancies are so you can fix them before they cause problems.

The Illinois SOS website has been having technical problems for months. I've had searches that work fine one day and then return completely different results the next day for the same debtor name. It's incredibly frustrating when you're trying to do proper due diligence.

Update: I called the Illinois UCC division and they confirmed there's a known issue with their search system not properly handling entity names with certain punctuation. They're working on a fix but no timeline. For now they recommended doing searches with multiple name variations and said I can request a certified search if needed for the $340k deal.

This thread perfectly illustrates why I always recommend running parallel verification processes for any UCC filing over $100k. The Illinois system issues you're describing are unfortunately common across many states - I've seen similar problems in Ohio and Michigan where punctuation, spacing, and even capitalization can throw off search results. For your $340k equipment deal, I'd suggest: 1) Get that certified search as mentioned, 2) Run searches using every possible name variation (with/without commas, periods, different spacing), and 3) Consider having your client pull their own corporate records to confirm the exact legal entity name. The cost of extra verification is minimal compared to the potential liability of an unperfected security interest.