Beware! USPTO trademark scam
For anyone who has recently applied for a trademark with the USPTO, or is about to, in order to get added to Amazon's brand registry, I just thought I'd post this here for a general warning; I have a very sensitive scam radar, and they ALMOST got me. I can only imagine how many folks they've successfully scammed.
I received a call from an Alexandria, VA phone number, and the person said he was from the USPTO, calling on a recorded government line, and he needed to do a phone verification of my trademark application. He proceeded to review all the details of my application: my name, my company name, trademark, address, etc. He said once we're off the phone, I can use the (TM) decoration next to my trademark and will be protected in doing so.
Once that was done, he said I need to pay a $425 decoration fee, and could do that with a Visa, Mastercard or American Express. And that I was required to have a credit card on file.
My scam radar started going off. But he was very convincing. He asked me to Google the number he's calling from, which I did, and 571-272-4000 is, in fact, the USPTO main line. I told him he'd have to do better than that since phone numbers can be spoofed. He then asked me to go to USPTO.gov and look at the trademark fees, which I did. He tried to explain how a $425 fee that the website says is due after 5 years, is due now. He rattled off section numbers where I could read about why the fee is due now.
He was VERY convincing and he almost got me. We were on the phone 15 minutes before I insisted that he had to send me something official that I could look at. I already paid my trademark registration application fee online, so the agency has my credit card number. I wasn't sure, but I thought that no government agency would be calling me and asking for a credit card. So he said I'd be getting an email and I jumped off the phone.
Glad I did. Upon Googling, this is a scam. USPTO even has a webpage about it. It says, "only pay for trademark fees via our electronic filing system.”
Anyway, I thought this warning could be of use to folks like me, who aren't very experienced in the trademark process but are moving forward with one due to success selling on Amazon. Good luck out there!
Beware! USPTO trademark scam
For anyone who has recently applied for a trademark with the USPTO, or is about to, in order to get added to Amazon's brand registry, I just thought I'd post this here for a general warning; I have a very sensitive scam radar, and they ALMOST got me. I can only imagine how many folks they've successfully scammed.
I received a call from an Alexandria, VA phone number, and the person said he was from the USPTO, calling on a recorded government line, and he needed to do a phone verification of my trademark application. He proceeded to review all the details of my application: my name, my company name, trademark, address, etc. He said once we're off the phone, I can use the (TM) decoration next to my trademark and will be protected in doing so.
Once that was done, he said I need to pay a $425 decoration fee, and could do that with a Visa, Mastercard or American Express. And that I was required to have a credit card on file.
My scam radar started going off. But he was very convincing. He asked me to Google the number he's calling from, which I did, and 571-272-4000 is, in fact, the USPTO main line. I told him he'd have to do better than that since phone numbers can be spoofed. He then asked me to go to USPTO.gov and look at the trademark fees, which I did. He tried to explain how a $425 fee that the website says is due after 5 years, is due now. He rattled off section numbers where I could read about why the fee is due now.
He was VERY convincing and he almost got me. We were on the phone 15 minutes before I insisted that he had to send me something official that I could look at. I already paid my trademark registration application fee online, so the agency has my credit card number. I wasn't sure, but I thought that no government agency would be calling me and asking for a credit card. So he said I'd be getting an email and I jumped off the phone.
Glad I did. Upon Googling, this is a scam. USPTO even has a webpage about it. It says, "only pay for trademark fees via our electronic filing system.”
Anyway, I thought this warning could be of use to folks like me, who aren't very experienced in the trademark process but are moving forward with one due to success selling on Amazon. Good luck out there!
2 respuestas
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
That is one of the unfortunate aspects of all the TM information being searchable.
Good job in protecting yourself.
Seller_1LT5U5rGoBICk
This exact call just happened to me as well. Did the whole look at the official website to see it was the "correct" number and fee. Fortunately, my scam radar went off, also.
Be careful, people!
