Top six trademark scams to watch out for in 2024

Deborah Niven, Partner, Intellectual Property  

In a world where scams are happening more often and becoming more sophisticated, it’s important to be extra vigilant and know what you need to look out for.

Deborah Niven, Intellectual Property Partner, explains what common scams you may see when applying for a trademark, and more importantly, how to avoid them.

Be aware of false payment requests.

After publishing an application, fake companies will be prompted to send emails to the published owner of the application demanding immediate action or payment that’s not due. This might even be accompanied by a threat of losing your trademark rights if you don’t pay. If you’re not sure – ask an expert and they will be able to advise, but it’s likely to be a scam.

Be careful of fake emails.

The UK Intellectual Property Office email addresses end in ipo.gov.uk – any other email domains purporting to be from the UK Intellectual Property Office are unlikely to be genuine.

Don’t let the abbreviations confuse you.

IPO stands for “Intellectual Property Office”, EUIPO stands for “EU Intellectual Property Office” and USPTO stands for “The United States Patent and Trademark Office.”  Any variation is not part of the UK IPO, EUIPO or USPTO, such as “Patent and Trademark Bureau” or “Trademark Renewal Service.”

Ignore false advertising.

Some letters will offer to put your trademark on a “database.”  This adds no value to your trademark and should be ignored. If you’re interested in a “watching service” to monitor whether anyone is attempting to apply for a trademark which is identical or like your registered mark, contact a lawyer who specialises in intellectual property like Deborah.

Use a trusted attorney.

Sometimes, genuine trademark attorneys in other jurisdictions use their knowledge of the UK application to market their own services in another country. Don’t be tempted to go with an unknown trademark attorney or register in a country you hadn’t previously considered. It’s vital that you seek advice and have a clear trademark strategy in place.

You can contact Deborah here, who has trademark attorney contacts across the globe.

NEVER give your personal details away.

IPO employees will NEVER ask you for your personal or payment information over the phone, in an email, or text, and will not require payment via third-party addresses. Never send money without double checking first.

Remember, it’s always worth taking that extra time to check that the company or lawyer you’re talking to is legitimate. It can save a massive headache in the future.