Trademark Scams

How to spot fake USPTO letters, calls, and emails — and what to do next.

Jump to: Gut Check · 7 Signs · Scam Types · Red Flags · Vetting · Watchlist · What to Do · FAQs

The 60-Second Gut Check

Before you pay anyone or click anything, run through these. Real USPTO communications will pass every one:

The real USPTO never asks for your password, Social Security number, or credit card over the phone, email, or text.
Every official communication shows up in your file at TSDR (tsdr.uspto.gov). If it’s not in TSDR, it’s not official.
Real USPTO emails end in @uspto.gov, and the only official websites are uspto.gov and my.uspto.gov.
The USPTO is the “United States Patent and Trademark Office.” Names like “Patent & Trademark Bureau” or “Trademark Compliance Center” are not the USPTO.
The USPTO has no “preferred services” or partner companies, and never demands payment by wire, gift card, or check to a third party.

The 7 Common Signs of a Trademark Scam

The USPTO boils trademark scams down to seven recurring signals. If a message hits even one of these, slow down and verify before you act.

Pressure to act immediately — “Respond in 24 hours or lose your rights.” Real deadlines don’t arrive by surprise, and you almost always have more time than they claim.
Demands for payment — “Pay now or forfeit your application.” Especially by wire, gift card, or check to a private address.
Requests for personal information — Asking for your Social Security number, date of birth, or your USPTO.gov password — none of which the real USPTO needs from you.
Typos and grammatical errors — Official-looking but riddled with odd phrasing, spacing, or spelling mistakes.
Suspicious calls, emails, or texts — Contact from numbers, addresses, or domains that aren’t exactly the USPTO’s (real email ends in @uspto.gov).
Made-up deadlines, renewal dates, or requirements — “Fees” for monitoring, publication, or recording you never requested — often sent long before any real deadline.
Unsolicited communications or advertisements — Out-of-the-blue offers to “help” with your trademark, frequently from companies that scraped your info from the public record.

What Is a Trademark Scam?

A trademark scam is any attempt to trick a trademark applicant or owner into paying for unnecessary, overpriced, or fake services — usually by impersonating the USPTO or another official-sounding authority. Because your name, address, mark, and filing dates are public record, scammers have everything they need to make their pitch look personalized and legitimate.

Most scams fall into a handful of buckets. Here’s what each looks like.

Fake "Official" Mail Solicitations

The classic: a paper notice that looks like a government invoice, often with an official-sounding name, a seal, a due date, and a fee of several hundred dollars for “registration,” “monitoring,” “publication,” or “renewal.” It’s really just a private company hoping you’ll pay without checking. Many of the names used are in the watchlist further down this page.

Spoofed Phone Calls

Scammers fake their caller ID to display the USPTO’s real name and number, then claim there’s a problem with your application and pressure you to pay a fee or hand over personal information. A common version targets owners of recently abandoned applications, offering to “revive” them through a paid “preferred service.” The USPTO has no such service — and using one can actually void your application.

Spoofed and Look-Alike Websites

Fake sites copy the look of uspto.gov or my.uspto.gov to capture your login or payment details. Always check the domain: the only official addresses are uspto.gov and my.uspto.gov.

Imposter Emails

These impersonate your examining attorney, often including your real serial or registration number and a fake email chain to look credible, then demand extra fees or personal information. Some scammers even sign you up for legitimate USPTO alert emails, then call referencing those alerts to sound official. Remember: real USPTO email ends in @uspto.gov, and real requests appear in TSDR.

Text-Message Scams

A newer twist: texts claiming your mark is about to be abandoned or that fees are due, with a link to pay. The USPTO does not text you payment demands.

Non-Attorney "Filing Firms" That Overpromise

Not every questionable offer is outright fraud. Some companies legally file paperwork but market aggressively, charge high fees for little value, or imply they can represent you before the USPTO — which only a U.S.-licensed attorney can do. Never share your USPTO.gov password with anyone; a legitimate attorney files through their own account, not yours.

Online Auction and "Buy Your Trademark" Scams

Some sites push you to bid on, buy, or “secure” a trademark or matching domain through an auction or marketplace, implying you’ll lose the name otherwise. Treat unsolicited auction pressure the same as any other scam — verify before you spend.

Fake Specimen and Register-Integrity Scams

A subtler problem aimed at the trademark register itself: bad actors file applications using doctored “specimens” (fake product photos) or false information. It may not target your wallet directly, but it can clutter the register with marks that block legitimate ones — and the USPTO now lets you challenge invalid specimens and request expungement.

Red Flags: How to Recognize a Trademark Scam

Any one of these is reason to slow down and verify before you pay or reply:

Pressure to act or pay immediately, often with a threat that you’ll “lose your rights.”
A request for payment by wire transfer, gift card, cash, check, or money order to a third-party address.
Anyone asking for your USPTO.gov password (never share it — even with someone helping you file).
An official-sounding name that isn’t “United States Patent and Trademark Office” (e.g., “Bureau,” “Agency,” “Compliance Center,” “Register”).
A fee that doesn’t match the official USPTO fee schedule, or a fee for “monitoring,” “publication,” or “recording” you never requested.
An email address or website that isn’t exactly @uspto.gov, uspto.gov, or my.uspto.gov.
A communication you can’t find in TSDR under your application or registration number.

How to Vet Who You Hire (So You Don't Get Scammed in the First Place)

Not every bad actor pretends to be the USPTO. Some run “low-cost” logo or trademark-registration services, or pose as a law firm, then charge inflated fees, file weak applications, or harvest your information to keep pressuring you. The single best protection is knowing who is actually allowed to help you — and what a legitimate professional does.

Only a U.S.-Licensed Attorney Can Represent You

To represent you in a trademark application, registration, or TTAB proceeding at the USPTO, a person must be an attorney in good standing with a U.S. state or territory bar. “Agents” and “specialists” are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice or represent you. Ask for the attorney’s bar number and verify it on the state bar’s website — if someone dodges that question, that’s your answer.

What a Legitimate Attorney or Filing Firm Actually Does

Runs a conflicts check to confirm they don’t represent anyone whose interests clash with yours.
Works directly with you — you can reach the actual attorney by phone and email, and they personally help with your filing.
Signs your filing as your legal representative, or has you sign it. No one else can be your representative — not even the firm.
Explains exactly what services you’re getting, their fees, and the separate USPTO fees, up front and in writing.

False Claims Scammers Love to Make

“We have agents or specialists who can give legal advice and represent you.” — Only U.S.-licensed attorneys can.
“You won’t own your trademark unless we file for you.” — Registration has real benefits, but it isn’t required to have rights, and no single company is your only option.
“We’re approved by and partnered with the USPTO, so we can expedite your application.” — The USPTO doesn’t endorse, partner with, or expedite through any private company.
“Pay this USPTO invoice now to avoid cancellation.” — The USPTO doesn’t send invoices or demand card payments in correspondence or by phone.

Related reading:

Known Trademark Scam Solicitation Names

The names below have been flagged by the USPTO as examples of fraudulent or misleading solicitations that customers have reported. If you receive a notice from one of these, treat it with caution and verify before paying.

⚠️ Important

None of the names listed below are official U.S. government or international government notices or offers, and none are affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the USPTO. This list is reproduced from the USPTO’s published examples of fraudulent or misleading solicitations and from WIPO’s warnings about international solicitations. Names, addresses, and formats change often — a notice not on this list can still be a scam. When in doubt, verify in TSDR and talk to a trademark attorney.

See the USPTO’s full, regularly updated list here: Examples of fraudulent or misleading solicitations · International (WIPO): WIPO warning list

U.S.-Based Solicitation Names

Solicitation name	Location	Flagged	USPTO example
Department of Commerce – Bureau of Industry and Security	1401 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20230	01/22/2026	View example
US Patent and Trademark Office	—	01/22/2026	View example
Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General	950 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC 20530-0001	12/12/2025	View example
US Trademark Protector – Text Message	—	07/29/2025	View example
USPTO Assistance Center – Email	—	07/29/2025	View example
Brand Registration Office (Trademark Selection Edition)	Washington, DC 20001	11/29/2013	View example
Department of Justice and Department of Government Efficiency	—	04/23/2025	View example
Department of Government Efficiency	—	11/14/2024	View example
GBO, Inc., Trademark and Patent Dep.	Miami, FL 33179	12/21/2012	View example
GLOTRADE	New York City, NY 10016-2817	12/05/2017	View example
Intellectual Property Services USA Incorporated	Alexandria, VA 22314	06/11/2013	View example
IOPR – Intellectual Office Property Register	Beaverton, OR 97006	11/20/2012	View example
ITR Trademark Publication	Miami, FL 33166-7896	01/01/2018	View example
NATP Register Services	Voorhees, NJ 08043	08/25/2023	View example
NTPS Trademark Publication	Bethlehem, GA 30620	02/17/2023	View example
Official USPTO Bureau	—	09/18/2024	View example
P.T.M.A. Patent and Trademark Association	New York, NY 10001	01/08/2016	View example
Patent & Trademark Agency	New York City, NY 10022	07/11/2012	View example
Patent and Trademark Bureau	Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006	01/11/2022	View example
Patent and Trademark Bureau	1700 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19103	06/24/2021	View example
Patent and Trademark Bureau	1500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19102	01/01/2016	View example
Patent and Trademark Bureau	Los Angeles, CA 90071	04/16/2019	View example
Patent and Trademark Bureau	230 Park Ave., New York, NY 10169	10/31/2017	View example
Patent and Trademark Bureau	30 Broad St., New York, NY 10004	11/15/2019	View example
Patent & Trademark Office	250 Park Ave., New York, NY 10177	06/26/2018	View example
Patent & Trademark Office	299 Park Ave., New York, NY 10171	05/02/2016	View example
Patent & Trademark Office	387 Park Ave., S, New York, NY 10016-8810	02/19/2019	View example
Patent & Trademark Office	555 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10022	01/05/2015	View example
Patent & Trademark Office	Jersey City, NJ 07302	02/19/2019	View example
Patent & Trademark Office (Red stripe)	Bothell, WA 98011	07/28/2020	View example
Patent & Trademark Office (Blue stripe)	Bothell, WA 98011	07/28/2020	View example
Patent and Trademark Office	Washington, DC 20037	02/19/2019	View example
Patent and Trademark Organization	New York, NY 10036	05/06/2016	View example
Patent & Trademark Resource Center	Seattle, Woodinville, and Bothell, WA	10/17/2016	View example
Patent & Trademark Renewal Services	Washington, DC 20002	10/04/2021	View example
P.T.M.I.	Alexandria, VA 22307	09/24/2020	View example
PTMI – Register of Protected Patents and Trademarks	Staten Island, NY 10302-2044	02/19/2019	View example
TM-DB Register of Protected Trademarks	Minneapolis, MN 55402	01/12/2017	View example
TM-DB Register of Protected Trademarks	Pearland, TX 77584	02/19/2019	View example
TM-DB Register of Protected Trademarks	Washington, DC 20037	02/19/2019	View example
TM-DB Register of Protected Trademarks	Wilmington, DE 19803	02/19/2019	View example
TMP Online Services	Astoria, NY 11106	08/25/2023	View example
Trademark and Patent Office	Los Angeles, CA 90048	07/10/2014	View example
Trademark Compliance Center (version 2)	Alexandria, VA 22314	02/19/2019	View example
Trademark Compliance Center (version 1)	Alexandria, VA 22314	01/01/2013	View example
Trademark Compliance Center	Washington, DC 20036	02/19/2019	View example
Trademark Compliance Office	Arlington, VA 22209	02/19/2019	View example
Trademark Office Ltd.	New York, NY 10005	02/19/2019	View example
Trademark Registration and Monitoring Office (Intellectual Property Rights Recordation Alert)	Los Angeles, CA 90071-9500	01/01/2012	View example
Trademark Registration and Monitoring Office (Past Due Notice)	Los Angeles, CA 90071-9500	10/29/2012	View example
Trademark Renewal Service	New York, NY 10016	04/28/2014	View example
Trademark Renewal Service	Washington, DC 20006	06/30/2012	View example
Trademark Safeguard – Trademark Monitoring Service	New York, NY 10010	02/19/2019	View example
Trademark Verticals – TTAB Petition Decision	Los Angeles, CA 90017	09/09/2024	View example
U.S. Trademark Compliance Office	Wilmington, DE 19801	02/19/2019	View example
U.S. Trademark Compliance Service	Phoenix, AZ 85043	02/19/2019	View example
U.S. Department of Commerce	P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450	9/30/2024	View example
United States Department of Commerce (Issuance Fee Version)	Alexandria, VA 22313-1450	11/04/2022	View example
United States Department of Commerce (Infringement Notice Version)	Alexandria, VA 22313	09/07/2022	View example
United States Trademark Maintenance Service (version 2)	Chandler, AZ 85244	10/23/2012	View example
United States Trademark Maintenance Service (version 1)	Chandler, AZ 85244	10/23/2012	View example
United States Trademark Registration Office	Los Angeles, CA 90071-2005	10/23/2012	View example
USTM Information Services	Idaho Falls, ID 83405-1688	07/26/2013	View example
WTMR World Trademark Register (address 1)	Washington, DC 20006-1631	12/02/2017	View example
WTMR World Trademark Register (address 2)	Washington, DC 20006-3951	10/12/2018	View example
WTMR World Trademark Register (address 3)	Washington, DC 20005-3807	08/09/2019	View example
WTMR World Trademark Register (address 4)	Washington, DC 20036-4359	05/22/2020	View example
WTMR World Trademark Register	Fort Lauderdale, FL 33335-2546	12/18/2020	View example
WTP Trademark Publication	Miami, FL 33166-7896	01/01/2018	View example
WTP Trademark Publication	Fresh Meadows, NY 11366	07/21/2020	View example
WT Worldwide Trademarks Ltd.	Claymont, DE 19703	08/20/2020	View example

International Solicitation Names

Solicitation name	Location	Flagged	USPTO example
Allowance-USPTO.us	Kosice, Slovakia	11/21/2023	View example
Notices-USPTO.us	Kosice, Slovakia	11/21/2023	View example
NOA-USPTO.us	Kosice, Slovakia	11/22/2023	View example
FeesDue-USPTO.us	Kosice, Slovakia	11/21/2023	View example
Marks-USPTO.us	Kosice, Slovakia	11/22/2023	View example
Official-USPTO.us	Kosice, Slovakia	11/22/2023	View example
GLOPAT Global Patents & Trademarks	Bratislava, Slovak Republic	11/21/2023	View example
GLOTRADE	Montreal, Canada	11/15/2018	View example
Intellectual Property Agency Ltd.	London, United Kingdom	03/16/2012	View example
IP Direct – Registration of the International Trademark	Czech Republic	09/03/2017	View example
IPTA Registration of the International Trademark	Brno, Czech Republic	06/15/2017	View example
IPTI – International Patent & Trademark Index	Czech Republic	02/16/2016	View example
IPTO International Patent & Trademark Organization	Brno, Czech Republic	02/12/2015	View example
IPTR Registration of the International Trademark	Brno, Czech Republic	06/12/2018	View example
Patent Trademark Register	Vienna, Austria	10/23/2012	View example
Register of International Patents and Trademarks	Bratislava, Slovak Republic	05/07/2012	View example
RPT Servis – Registration of the International Trademark	Czech Republic	01/29/2016	View example
TM Collection	Szombathely, Hungary	07/05/2012	View example
TM Edition (2012 version)	Szentendre, Hungary	05/03/2012	View example
TM Edition (2015 version)	Szentendre, Hungary	01/07/2015	View example
TPP – Trademark & Patent Publications	Poland	01/01/2016	View example
WDTP Registration of International Trademark (version 1)	Praha, Czech Republic	10/23/2012	View example
WDTP Registration of International Trademark (version 2)	Praha, Czech Republic	01/01/2010	View example
World Organization for Trademarks (WOTRA)	Hungary	04/15/2008	View example
WPAT World Patents Trademarks (version 1)	Bratislava, Slovak Republic	02/19/2019	View example
WPAT World Patents Trademarks (version 2)	Bratislava, Slovak Republic	12/16/2016	View example
WPTA World Patent & Trademark Agency	Brno, Czech Republic	06/17/2020	View example
WPTR	Czech Republic	11/28/2018	View example
WTR World Trademark Register	Poland	04/12/2017	View example
WT Worldwide Trademarks Ltd.	United Kingdom and Budapest, Hungary	04/28/2020	View example

What to Do If You Get a Suspicious Notice

Don’t pay and don’t share anything yet. Hang up, or set the letter/email aside.
Check TSDR. Enter your serial or registration number at tsdr.uspto.gov and look under the “Documents” tab. If the notice isn’t there, it’s not from the USPTO.
Verify the sender. Real USPTO emails end in @uspto.gov. For calls, contact the Trademark Assistance Center (TAC) at 1-800-786-9199 to confirm.
Report it. Forward scam emails and websites to TMScams@uspto.gov, and file complaints with the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov) and, for calls, the FCC.
Ask your attorney. If Indie Law filed for you, send it our way — we’ll tell you in plain English whether it’s real and what (if anything) is actually due.

What to Do If You Already Paid or Shared Information

If you’ve paid one of these or handed over personal information, you’re not alone and it’s not hopeless. First, gather your evidence — copies of the solicitation, emails, receipts, and screenshots — then work through this checklist:

Report it to the USPTO at TMScams@uspto.gov (attach the original scam email so they have the sender data).
Contact your bank or credit card company to dispute the charges and stop further payments.
Reset your USPTO.gov password immediately if you shared it, and tell the USPTO — your account may be at risk of misuse.
Consult a U.S.-licensed trademark attorney to evaluate your application or registration.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
For a spoofed phone call, file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Contact your state’s Attorney General / consumer protection office — most can investigate deceptive solicitations.
File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and use its Scam Survival Toolkit to build a recovery plan; monitor your credit.
Report cybercrime to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.
If it came by mail, report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
If a non-attorney gave you legal advice or representation, report the unauthorized practice of law to your state bar; if an attorney may have been involved, email the USPTO’s Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED@uspto.gov).
If a sponsored ad sent you to the scam, report the ad to Google or Microsoft Bing.

The USPTO Is Fighting Back — and So Can You

Trademark scams can feel like the Wild West, but they aren’t ignored. The USPTO investigates suspected fraud, unauthorized practice of law, and abuse of its rules, and it works with the Department of Commerce’s Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Justice, the FTC, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to push back.

It issues administrative sanctions against bad actors — including restricting or revoking USPTO.gov account access, striking improperly filed documents, and even terminating applications.
It can shut down USPTO.gov accounts used improperly, which is exactly why you should never share your password.
There has even been a criminal conviction tied to a trademark renewal solicitation scam — proof these schemes are taken seriously.
You can check the USPTO’s Decisions and Proceedings search tool to see whether a firm or attorney has been sanctioned before you trust them with your brand.

Trademark Scam FAQs

How do I know if a USPTO letter or email is real?

Check TSDR. Every official USPTO communication is uploaded to your file at tsdr.uspto.gov under the “Documents” tab. If it’s not there, it’s not official. Real USPTO emails also always end in @uspto.gov.

Why am I suddenly getting these — was my information leaked?

No. Your name, mailing address, trademark, and filing dates are part of the public trademark record by law. Scammers simply pull that public information and use it to make their pitch look personal.

Are these notices ever legitimate bills I have to pay?

The scam solicitations are not. Your only required fees are the official USPTO fees, which are listed on the USPTO fee schedule and always payable through the official electronic system — never by gift card, wire, or check to a private address.

I paid one. Did I lose my trademark?

Usually not automatically, but it depends on what you paid for. Some “services” can actually jeopardize your application. Reset any shared passwords, dispute the charge, and have an attorney review your file right away.

How can I stop worrying about this?

Have a trademark attorney manage your filings and deadlines. When a professional is watching your file, you can forward anything suspicious and get a straight answer — instead of guessing under pressure.

Not sure if it's real? Don't guess.

Forward it to Indie Law and we’ll tell you in plain English whether it’s legit and what’s actually due. Better yet, let us manage your filings so the scary mail becomes our problem, not yours. Flat fees. Plain English. No surprise invoices.