We want to make our clients aware of a new trademark scam that is currently circulating.
Scammers are sending emails that appear to come from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and falsely claim that, after a trademark application is approved, the owner must complete an “attestation” with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), U.S. Department of State (DOS), and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to obtain “full trademark protection.” The email demands a payment of $1,499 (or other amount) in purported government fees.
This email is fraudulent and should be disregarded.
There is no requirement to obtain any attestation from the DOC, DOS, or FTC to obtain or maintain a U.S. federal trademark registration. The USPTO does not require or collect any such fee, and no legitimate trademark registration process involves these agencies in this manner.
In addition, these emails do not originate from the USPTO. Official USPTO correspondence is sent only from .gov email addresses. If you receive an email requesting payment or directing you to a non-government website, it is likely a scam.
If you receive any suspicious correspondence regarding your trademark application or registration, do not make any payment before contacting us. We are happy to verify whether a communication is legitimate and advise you on the appropriate next steps. For more information, please see https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/protect/recognizing-common-scams.