Trademark Scams

Beware of trademark scams! If you’re not familiar with these scams, you’re at risk of paying hundreds to thousands of dollars for fake trademark invoices. Usually these types of invoices come in the mail and appear to be invoices from an official trademark registration office. Included with the invoice is either a copy of an application that was filled out previously by someone at your organization, or a blank trademark application that needs to be completed and submitted with payment by the expiration date. Of course neither the trademark office nor the registration application is legitimate.

If you read the fine print, you’ll find that most of these documents are not invoices, but solicitations. There is usually no obligation to pay, unless the form is filled out and submitted, in which case you inadvertently accepted the bogus offer and may have entered into a binding payment agreement. Sometimes the company sending the invoice is real, offering a real service. However, instead of registering your trademark in a public database, it provides trademark protection in a private database, which offers minimal benefits to your company.

If you fall prey to trademark invoice fraud or become wary of a trademark registration application, you should contact a trademark lawyer for more advice.