If you are a U.S. trademark applicant or registrant, there is a good chance you will receive a communication that appears legitimate, but is not. These solicitations often mimic the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or other official-looking entities in an effort to persuade recipients to pay unnecessary fees or purchase services that offer little or no real benefit.
Unfortunately, as fraudulent trademark solicitations become increasingly sophisticated, distinguishing legitimate correspondence from fraudulent outreach is becoming more difficult for many business owners.
Common Trademark Fraud Schemes
Fraudulent trademark solicitations can take many forms, but most share one common characteristic: they attempt to create urgency and pressure recipients into acting before verifying whether a communication is legitimate. Below are a few examples of what we’ve seen lately:
