West Virginia SOS UCC search returning inconsistent results - debtor name variations

That's exactly what I'm doing but it's so time consuming and I'm worried I'm still missing something. Do you have a systematic approach for covering all the variations?

I usually start with the exact name from the articles of incorporation, then try removing all punctuation, then try common abbreviations. Also search by the first few words only since sometimes the full name gets truncated.

Yikes, that's exactly what I'm afraid of. How did you eventually find the hidden filings?

Had to search using partial names and work backwards from filing numbers we found on related documents. It was a nightmare but we caught it before closing.

This is why I always recommend doing a comprehensive document verification before any major continuation or termination. Missing existing liens can be catastrophic.

That sounds incredibly useful. Does it actually connect to the state databases or just analyze the documents you upload?

It analyzes the documents you upload and highlights discrepancies, then gives you all the name variations to search for. Really streamlined my verification process.

I've heard good things about that tool. The manual document comparison is such a pain, especially when you're dealing with multiple related entities.

Good point about searching for less. I was trying to be too specific and probably limiting my results unnecessarily.

Exactly. Start broad, then filter down. Also try searching by the first word of the business name alone - sometimes that catches filings where the full name was entered incorrectly.

This is solid advice. I've found filings this way that I never would have discovered otherwise, especially when there were data entry errors on the original filing.

It's so frustrating when you know something exists but can't find it! Makes me question whether I'm missing other important filings.

The interface updates are the worst. Just when you figure out how to navigate it efficiently, they change everything.

Oh no, so you had to file a UCC-3 amendment first? That must have added time and cost to the process.

Yes, had to amend first to correct the name, then file the continuation. Lesson learned - always verify the debtor name on the original filing matches the current corporate records exactly.

This is why pre-filing verification is so critical. Those small errors compound over time and create major headaches down the road.

That's a good approach. I do have some loan documents that might reference the original filing number. Let me dig through those.

Yes, loan agreements, security agreements, and even some closing documents often reference the UCC filing number. Much more reliable than name searching.

I didn't know you could call them for search assistance! That might be worth trying if my systematic searching doesn't turn up everything.

They're actually pretty helpful on the phone, though sometimes there's a wait. They can see things in their internal system that don't always display properly in the public interface.

The phone support option is underutilized. I've had them walk me through searches that would have taken me hours to figure out on my own.

Great point about documentation. I'll start keeping a search log with all the variations and results.

Yes, and screenshots of the search results pages too. The search interfaces change and results can be inconsistent over time.

Two people have mentioned that tool now. It sounds like it might be worth trying, especially if it can catch variations I might miss manually.

It's really thorough. The automated cross-checking is much more reliable than trying to compare documents manually, especially when you're dealing with multiple entities or complex name structures.

I've been hearing more about automated document verification tools. The manual process is so error-prone, especially under time pressure.