Beware Unofficial Trademark Solicitations

One of my clients recently called in a panic because she had just received a notice that the trademarks I’d filed on her behalf were cancelled.  As it turns out, the notice was a fake.  It looked official and made reference to the USPTO, but tried to deceive her into paying the company that sent it extra money to revive the applications.

The USPTO enclosed a notice about these deceptive solicitations with a trademark I recently received.  An

article on their website describes the types of notices to watch out for and what to do if you receive one.  In short, if you suspect a solicitation is deceptive, file a complaint with the FTC at www.FTC.gov.

Also, e-mail the USPTO at TMFeedback@uspto.gov, preferably including a copy of the communication and the envelope it came in.

Indicate whether you thought it was an official USPTO communication or if you had to ask a lawyer if it was legitimate.

If you paid any fees because of the notice, mention that too and provide a copy of your cancelled check.  Also let them know if you received anything in exchange for your payment.