Before paying a trademark invoice or responding to a USPTO call, verify the request independently. Scammers may copy real application details, spoof sender information, or create pressure around a supposed deadline. A genuine-looking name, logo, or application number does not establish authenticity.
- Check the application or registration and its official documents in USPTO TSDR.
- Compare the claimed action, fee, and deadline with the official record.
- Contact your attorney or the USPTO through independently obtained contact details.
- Do not rely on contact links, payment instructions, or caller ID supplied in the suspicious message.
Some private solicitations offer optional services and are not official obligations. See USPTO scam guidance and our guide to genuine trademark office actions.
When applying for a trademark, it’s strongly advised to work with a licensed attorney who specializes in trademark registrations. A licensed attorney can not only provide expert guidance for your application but also help you identify and avoid potential scammers.Carson Patents®
Kinds of Trademark Scams
Scammers Posing as Attorneys
When you are applying for a trademark, you may encounter businesses that are offering unnecessary services, making unrealistic guarantees, demanding illegitimate fees, or charging inflated amounts for trademark registration services such as responding to office actions. Often times, these entities turn out to be scams, operating without legal licenses and offering services they’re not authorized to provide. Additionally, even supposedly licensed private companies may advertise unnecessary services, make unrealistic guarantees, demand illegitimate fees, or charge inflated amounts for their services. We strongly advise against working with such companies on your trademark registration.
If you are already working with a licensed attorney, it’s important to be aware that scammers can send you messages posing as your attorney. If you encounter a suspicious message, take extra caution to verify the source of correspondences such as email addresses. Scammers can create email addresses confusingly similar to your attorney’s. If you have any doubts, reach out to your attorney directly via phone to confirm the correspondence and inform them of any suspicious messages you have received.
Scammers Posing as the USPTO
Scammers can copy genuine public application details and impersonate the USPTO through calls, texts, letters or email. Accurate knowledge of your mark, serial number, filing date or attorney does not prove that a payment request is legitimate. There is no exhaustive list of only eight communications an applicant may receive.
Verify the official record in USPTO TSDR and contact your attorney using details you already know before paying an unexpected invoice. See our office-action guide for examples of real communications.
Scammers Posing as WIPO
Scammers also impersonate the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). These scammers have been found to contact applicants and registrants under the Madrid system, which facilitates international trademark applications. They often send written notifications that closely resemble legitimate WIPO notifications about renewing registrations while demanding unauthorized payments.
If you believe you may have been scammed, seek professional advice from a licensed attorney.
Real-Life Scam Call Example From Our Own Client
One of our clients has kindly given us permission to anonymously share their encounter with scam callers. This valuable insight is shared to assist fellow trademark applicants and registrants in spotting and avoiding potential scams.
A few days after our client’s trademark applications were submitted to the USPTO, our client received a phone call early in the morning. The caller ID was listed as “Application Assistance Unit of USPTO.” The caller asked about one of the trademark applications and its purpose. The caller also referenced our attorney (albeit only by first name). This was a scammer using a spoofed phone number impersonating the USPTO.
Our client was later repeatedly called by the “Trademark Verification Office” — another spoofed phone number. When our client answered the call, the caller demanded a “priority processing fee” of $500, discounted from $1000 if paid by credit card.
Upon our client’s report of receiving such calls, our attorney promptly confirmed that they were scams and offered guidance on next steps. In situations like this, we recommend refraining from answering the spam calls. If you do answer accidentally, instruct the scammer to contact the attorney representing your application. Additionally, your attorney can send a notice to the USPTO regarding the scam call on your behalf.
For more examples of trademark scams, visit the USPTO’s scam alert page. The USPTO offers several examples of misleading written trademark offers or notices originating from both within and outside the United States. The WIPO website also has a PCT warning page and hoax warning page that features examples of scam offers and notices that pose as WIPO.
If you suspect that you have been targeted by a scammer, seek professional advice from a licensed attorney.
How To Spot and Avoid Trademark Scams
Verify independently. Displayed sender names, email addresses and caller ID can be spoofed. A familiar domain or accurate application information is not enough. Check TSDR and reach your attorney or the USPTO through independently obtained contact details.
Do not act through an unexpected message. Avoid its payment links, attachments and requests for account credentials. Distinguish official requirements from optional private directory or monitoring offers. A high fee alone does not prove fraud, but an unexpected demand should be checked.
Check the actual obligation and deadline. Compare the message with your official record and existing engagement. Review USPTO scam-protection resources and our trademark cost guide.
What To Do If You Receive a Suspicious Message
If you come across a suspicious message, alert your attorney immediately if you have one. If you are not working with an attorney yet, consult an intellectual property attorney for expert advice on the appropriate steps to take. Additionally, consult the USPTO’s page on scam prevention as well as their scam alert page, which contains information on filing a consumer complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. The USPTO also encourages individuals to report scammers not yet listed on their page directly to the USPTO.
If you suspect you’ve come across a potential trademark scam, Carson Patents can help. Arrange a free scam warning consult with our attorney to discuss your situation.
What To Do If You’ve Been Scammed
If you believe you have been scammed, please refer to the USPTO’s page on what to do if you’ve been scammed and seek professional advice from a licensed attorney. Carson Patents offers a free scam warning consult with our attorney to discuss your situation.
Get Help from a U.S.-Licensed Trademark Attorney
Work with an appropriately licensed attorney and verify communications through established contact details. USPTO patent-bar registration is a separate credential, not a required trademark-attorney certification. Carson Patents can help evaluate suspicious trademark messages and discuss appropriate next steps. Schedule a free trademark consultation. Qualifying professional-fee discounts are described on our veteran discount page.
