What Are Trademark Scams?
After filing a trademark application with the USPTO, many applicants receive official-looking letters, emails, or invoices demanding payment for unnecessary services. These come from companies that monitor public filing records and target new applicants who may not understand the process.
What Scam Letters Look Like
These solicitations are designed to look like official government correspondence:
- Official-sounding names like "US Trademark Registration Office" or "Patent & Trademark Bureau"
- Reference your actual serial number and mark (public information)
- Use urgent language: "FINAL NOTICE" or "IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED"
- Request payment of $300-$1,500 for "registration" or "publication"
- Include official-looking seals, eagles, or government imagery
- Have fine print disclaiming government affiliation
Red Flags: Any letter asking for payment that is NOT from the actual USPTO (Alexandria, VA) or your actual attorney of record is likely a scam or misleading solicitation.
How to Spot Them
Check the sender
- Real USPTO mail comes from Alexandria, VA 22313
- Real USPTO emails end in @uspto.gov
- Scammers use similar-sounding but different addresses
Check the payment request
- USPTO fees are paid through TEAS (online system) or specific mail addresses
- The USPTO will never email you asking for credit card payment
- Any "invoice" from a company you didn't hire is illegitimate
Check the service offered
- "International registration" - unnecessary for US-only businesses
- "Trademark monitoring" - you didn't sign up for this
- "Official publication" - the USPTO handles this automatically
Legitimate Communications: Your assigned USPTO examining attorney, your actual hired trademark attorney, or official TEAS system notifications.
What You Actually Need
- Professional Filing Review - Ensure your application is correctly prepared
- Office Action Response - If the USPTO issues a refusal, you have 6 months to respond
- Specimen Guidance - Proper evidence of trademark use
- Classification Accuracy - Correct goods/services classification
- Ongoing Maintenance - Section 8 & 15 filings after registration
Need Legitimate Trademark Help?
Nieto Engineering Inc. provides honest, professional trademark filing assistance. No pressure, no scams - just straightforward IP protection.
Learn About NEI Services