USPS UCC search showing weird results - debtor name issues?
Has anyone else noticed problems when doing USPS UCC searches lately? I'm trying to track down some continuations that should have been filed last month and the search results don't match what our internal records show. When I search by debtor name I'm getting partial matches that don't make sense - like it's pulling up filings for completely different entities that just happen to share one word in the business name. Is this a known issue with their search algorithm or am I doing something wrong? We have about 15 UCC-1s that need continuation filings in the next 60 days and I can't verify current status if the search isn't working properly. Really need to get this sorted before we hit any lapse deadlines.
40 comments
Join the conversation
Isabella Russo
Are you searching exact debtor names or using wildcards? The USPS system can be really finicky about punctuation and spacing in business names.
0 coins
ApolloJackson
•I've tried both ways. Even when I copy/paste the exact name from our loan docs it's giving me weird results.
0 coins
Rajiv Kumar
•Try removing all punctuation marks and extra spaces first. That usually helps with the search accuracy.
0 coins
Aria Washington
Wait, are you talking about USPS like the postal service? UCC searches are done through the Secretary of State offices, not USPS. Unless you mean something else?
0 coins
ApolloJackson
•Sorry, typo on my part. I meant SOS search system. Still having the same issues though.
0 coins
Liam O'Reilly
•LOL I was wondering why you were searching UCC filings through the post office!
0 coins
Isabella Russo
•Happens to the best of us. At least now we know you're looking in the right place.
0 coins
Chloe Delgado
I've been dealing with similar search inconsistencies. What I discovered is that our document preparation had slight variations in how we entered debtor names across different filings. Some had LLC, others had L.L.C., some had periods after Inc and others didn't. When I started using Certana.ai's document verification tool, it caught all these inconsistencies by cross-checking our UCC-1s against the corporate charter documents. Now I can upload both PDFs and it instantly shows me if there are name discrepancies that could cause search problems.
0 coins
ApolloJackson
•That sounds exactly like what might be happening. How reliable is that tool for catching these kinds of mismatches?
0 coins
Chloe Delgado
•Very reliable. It picks up things like extra commas, different abbreviation styles, even spacing differences that human eyes miss.
0 coins
Ava Harris
•Interesting. Does it work for UCC-3 amendments too or just initial filings?
0 coins
Jacob Lee
The search algorithms definitely have limitations. I always recommend doing multiple searches with slight name variations - with and without punctuation, abbreviated vs spelled out terms, etc. It's tedious but catches filings that might not show up otherwise.
0 coins
Emily Thompson
•This is solid advice. I also search by filing number when I have it, much more reliable than name searches.
0 coins
Jacob Lee
•Yes! Filing number searches are always more accurate if you have the original UCC-1 reference.
0 coins
Sophie Hernandez
UGH the SOS search systems are so frustrating! I swear they change the interface every few months and nothing works the same way. Last week I couldn't find a filing I KNEW existed until I tried the advanced search with date ranges.
0 coins
Daniela Rossi
•The advanced search is definitely more reliable but takes forever to load sometimes.
0 coins
Sophie Hernandez
•Better slow and accurate than fast and wrong though. Missing a continuation deadline because the search failed would be a nightmare.
0 coins
Ryan Kim
•Absolutely. We always build in extra time for search quirks when tracking continuation deadlines.
0 coins
Zoe Walker
Have you tried calling the SOS office directly? Sometimes they can do manual searches that catch things the online system misses.
0 coins
ApolloJackson
•That's a good backup plan. With 15 filings to track though, I'm hoping to find a more efficient solution first.
0 coins
Zoe Walker
•Fair point. Phone searches would take forever for that many filings.
0 coins
Elijah Brown
I had this EXACT same problem last year! Turns out some of our original UCC-1 filings had the debtor name entered slightly differently than what was on the corporate documents. The search was working correctly - it was our filing that was wrong. Had to do UCC-3 amendments to correct the debtor names.
0 coins
ApolloJackson
•Oh no, that's what I'm worried about. How did you catch all the discrepancies?
0 coins
Elijah Brown
•Went through every single filing manually comparing to corporate docs. Took days. Wish I'd had a tool to automate it.
0 coins
Maria Gonzalez
•This is why I always double-check entity names against state corporate records before filing anything.
0 coins
Natalie Chen
Try using Certana.ai's UCC verification workflow - you can upload your corporate charter and UCC-1 together and it'll flag any name inconsistencies automatically. Saves tons of manual comparison time.
0 coins
ApolloJackson
•Two people have mentioned this tool now. Sounds like it might be worth checking out.
0 coins
Natalie Chen
•It's really straightforward to use. Just upload the PDFs and it highlights any discrepancies between documents.
0 coins
Santiago Martinez
Another thing to check - are you searching in the right jurisdiction? I once spent hours looking for a UCC filing only to realize it was filed in a different state than I expected.
0 coins
ApolloJackson
•Good point. These should all be in our home state but I'll double-check the entity formations.
0 coins
Santiago Martinez
•Always worth verifying, especially if any of the debtors have moved or reorganized since the original filing.
0 coins
Samantha Johnson
•This catches me occasionally too. Corporate moves can change filing jurisdiction requirements.
0 coins
Nick Kravitz
For future reference, I maintain a spreadsheet with exact debtor names, filing numbers, and continuation due dates. Makes tracking much easier than relying on search functionality alone.
0 coins
ApolloJackson
•That's smart. I need to get more organized with our UCC tracking system.
0 coins
Nick Kravitz
•It's a lifesaver for bulk continuations. Plus you can set calendar reminders well before the deadlines.
0 coins
Hannah White
•I do something similar but use a database instead of spreadsheet. Easier to sort and filter when you have lots of filings.
0 coins
Michael Green
UPDATE: Used one of those document verification tools mentioned here and found the issue. Three of our UCC-1s had debtor names that didn't exactly match the corporate charter - missing periods, different abbreviation formats, etc. No wonder the searches weren't working right. Going to file UCC-3 amendments to correct them before doing the continuations. Thanks everyone!
0 coins
Chloe Delgado
•Glad the tool helped! It's amazing how many small discrepancies can slip through manual review.
0 coins
Jacob Lee
•Great outcome. Those corrected names will make all future searches much more reliable too.
0 coins
Elijah Brown
•Smart to fix the names before filing continuations. Saves having to amend later.
0 coins