Trademark Scams and Misleading Notices: How to Verify Communications

Why trademark owners receive solicitations

USPTO records include public information about applicants, owners, marks, and deadlines. Third parties can use that data to create letters, emails, texts, invoices, or calls that appear personalized and official.

A private offer is not automatically fraudulent, but it must not be confused with a required government filing or an official USPTO communication.

Verify the message in TSDR

The USPTO states that official communications, including office actions and requests for payment or information, are uploaded to the application or registration’s TSDR documents tab. Search the serial or registration number directly at an official USPTO address.

If the purported notice is absent, do not use its payment link or provide sensitive information. Contact the USPTO Trademark Assistance Center through contact details obtained independently from uspto.gov when confirmation is needed.

Common warning signs

Scammers can copy real serial numbers, owner names, and deadlines. Accurate public data does not make the sender official.

• A demand to respond within 24–72 hours when no matching TSDR document exists.
• A website or email domain designed to resemble a government address but not ending in .gov.
• A guarantee of registration or claim that a private payment is mandatory.
• An invoice for monitoring, publication, renewal, or a registry that was not requested.
• Pressure to communicate only by text or email and pay immediately.
• Use of official-looking seals, form names, or agency-style business names.

Separate government fees from private services

Before paying, identify the recipient, exact service, cancellation terms, government fee, service fee, and whether the action is actually due. Compare the claim with the current USPTO fee schedule and TSDR record.

Never assume a publication or registry fee is required merely because a letter uses federal-sounding language.

Protect the record

Use strong account security, keep correspondence information current, and monitor TSDR rather than relying solely on forwarded messages. Preserve suspicious communications and payment records.

The USPTO publishes examples of misleading solicitations and instructions for reporting suspected scams. If money or identity information was taken, contact appropriate payment providers and government consumer-protection channels promptly.