Trademark Owners Be Aware: Scam Calls Impersonating the USPTO

Trademark owners in the U.S. are facing the increasing threat of trademark scams.  As warned by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), trademark owners have been receiving phone calls and texts from scammers attempting to solicit personal or payment information by falsely claiming to be USPTO employees.

These scammers contact trademark owners by telephone, pretending to be the USPTO, and seek personal and credit card information for fees related to trademark applications and maintenance filings.  A tactic called “spoofing” has been used to trick phone networks into displaying a name, number, and location different from their actual name, number, and location.  The most common spoofed phone numbers are 571-272-1000 and 800-786-9199, both of which are associated with the USPTO.

The USPTO will never ask for personal or payment information over the phone, via email, or text message.  If you receive any suspicious phone call, hang up immediately (or do not answer) and refrain from any further discussion or disclosure.

Trademark owners should also remain vigilant of deceptive or misleading notices sent by third parties relating to their trademark applications and registrations, claiming that amounts must be paid for such applications and registrations.  These notices attempt to appear legitimate and may include terms like “United States,” “Trademark,” “Office,” or “Agency.”

If Mika Meyers has filed paperwork with the USPTO on your behalf, all official correspondence and fee payments will come through Mika Meyers as the attorney of record.

The USPTO provides further information regarding trademark scams and available protections at: https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/protect.

If you receive any such correspondence requesting information related to fees and payment for applications and maintenance filings, please contact Jennifer Puplava and Yue (April) Li for advice.