Avoid scams and fraud.
Every year, brand owners receive misleading letters, fake invoices, and confusing emails from third parties posing as trademark authorities. This guide helps you recognize them and know what to do.
Common red flags
If a solicitation contains any of the following, treat it as suspicious:
- An invoice you did not request for services you did not order
- Language that implies you must "register" or "renew" with their company
- Very short deadlines ("pay within 5 days or lose your mark")
- Payment requested by wire, gift card, or cryptocurrency
- A phone number or address that is difficult to verify
- Official-looking seals, emblems, or USPS-style formatting
- Payment amounts noticeably higher than standard USPTO fees
- Missing or vague company identification (no physical address, no legal name)
Common scam types
Fake trademark invoices
Unsolicited invoices claiming you owe money for "trademark monitoring," "publication," or "registration services." They mimic official documents but are not from the USPTO.
Deceptive "renewal" notices
Letters that look like renewal reminders but actually push you to register your mark in a private registry not the USPTO.
Data harvesting letters
Mail that asks you to "confirm" or "update" your owner details, collecting personal data for resale.
Phishing emails
Emails posing as USPTO alerts, asking you to click links and enter personal or payment information.
Fake legal threats
Threatening letters that claim your mark infringes someone else's, with a demand for quick payment to settle.
Overpriced "registrations"
Companies that charge vastly inflated fees for services you could obtain directly or through lower-cost legitimate providers.
How to verify a notice
- Check whether the letter actually mentions the USPTO by name or a private company.
- Compare every fee against the current USPTO fee schedule at uspto.gov.
- Look up your trademark status directly in the official USPTO database.
- Call the USPTO directly at their published number to confirm any notice.
- Search the company's legal name and address online before paying anything.
- Never pay by wire, gift card, or cryptocurrency to an unverified recipient.
If you receive a suspicious notice
- Do not pay, click, or respond until you verify the sender.
- Keep the original notice it may help if you report the scam.
- Report suspicious notices to the USPTO and the FTC.
- If you already paid, contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately.
- Contact USPT MARK or another trusted provider to review your actual status.
Received a suspicious trademark notice?
Send us a copy and we'll help you verify whether it's legitimate free of charge.