Hi Just wanted to alert everyone to a trademark scam which you almost certainly get if you have a trademark in something. And how it works is that if you have a trademark on something then your information is accessible in a database and the companies like these. they actually extract all that information. and they bulk mail people.

They send real mails arm instead of you know emails because everyone's used to email scams right? But when you get a letter with what looks like in this particular case an invoice here and I'll show another one I've got from a company in Hungary as well, then they send you these like official looking invoices and what it looks like is that oh, I've got a trademark and they actually have your real trademark name here. They have the classes, the various classes that they're called, that your trademark is under various categories that you're under and it all looks legitimate. and if you don't know any better, you might just pony up the money for this invoice. Now these this scam is not illegal because I'll show you why in a minute because they actually do fully disclose it usually if you actually read down below.

But yeah, they extract your information. They send these letters out in bulk to everyone, hoping that they'll catch a few people out. So let's take a look at this one. This one comes from the brand registration office.

There's no sensor right? It's just some dude in a apartment in that in this case. Germany And they have all your information here. They have your trademark. They want you to pay thirteen hundred and eighty five Euros in this particular case and just and all their wire transfer details.

There it is, you know, transfer the money over and great worldwide office mailing address. So they've got so an office somewhere in the US And let's actually have a read of this because this is why it's not really illegal. It's basically just a solicitation to list you in some stupid database that they have which is absolutely useless. Which useless which no one ever looks at.

and it's just pointless. You've wasted your money, but it technically you know they will list you in this database that they have what they do by paying the indicated amount. You accept this offer that will that will approve Listing this information in the TM Selection 2018 The International Trade Marks and Service Marks Catalog. The total fee is payable in advance and optional.

Before make decision and for more details, visit their website. The law considers a trade might be a form of property. We recommend you take you to take this registration in our exclusive catalog which provides notice to others that above described trademark blah blah blah that's already taken. We are going to issue a publication that contains a depiction of the registered mark, the identification of goods and services and owner information.

This publication will be available in America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The data represents a sample registration. We get our data from free online databases. This is a solicitation.

So this particular company. they specifically tell you this is a solicitation. You are under no obligation to pay the amount stated on this letter. Unless you accept this offer, have any further questions.

Please contact Bla bla bla bla bla. So there it is, right. It's a solicitation in the form of like sort of an official-looking invoice. This one's not particularly well done, right, but so they'll list you in your data in there stupid useless database for thirteen hundred and eighty-five dollars.

Now let's have a look at another scam. I've actually Aoi By the way, if you go over to this company's website here, it is night night. Here it is Brand Registration Office. This looks totally legit.

Doesn't it Look at that? Look at the seal that they've got. It's comical. Welcome to the Brand Registration Office. blah blah blah.

Our main business activity, who cares? Write about us And it's privately owned publishing firm. and they just publish a catalogue. You can probably know they might actually print it. You might be able to buy it.

It's just absolutely useless, right? Legal. You may obtain a free copy of our terms and conditions. We're fully committed, blah blah blah. Frequently asked questions, and and you know, they basically tell you that it's their own thing, right? So let's actually go have a look at another one that I actually got.

This one looks a little bit more official trademark. Edition it's called International Catalog of Trademarks 2015 and I got this one a year or two back and they you know you might think you get this official looking invoice thing. you might think oh my trademarks gonna expire I Better pay it. No, don't contact you like just ignore these and or contact your patent attorney that you got it from because they're just absolutely useless and by the way, they will actually tell you if you.

Here's a it's actually a tourism blog of all things from travel. Victoria Trademark Registration scams. There's another IP Government Australia So this is the government website that tells you all about this unofficial trademark invoices. Check the source before you pay and all that sort of stuff.

You can report these things, but I think technically they're probably not illegal. All the government can do is like list them as hey, this isn't a legit thing and you don't have to pay it right? It's not an official thing. So let's have a look at this one here. trademark.

So this is from So Trademark Edition limited in Hungary right? Let's have a look class of goods and services and so a look. The above-mentioned data constitutes a sample registration and if you transfer the amount, you automatically approve this offer for listing and the trademark. Edition catalog and a bla bla bla bla bla in case you wished. In case you wish, this one doesn't actually tell you it's a solicitation, it just has the word in.

In case you wish to list your trademark in our international catalog, please pay these fees. Eighteen hundred and fifty Australian dollars. At least they've localized the currency here to make the scam seem a bit more legit cuz I'm from Australia I paid. You know Australian dollars for my trademarks and everything else.

So there you go. It just looks a little bit more legit, but it's just. it's just garbage, right? So do Not fall for these things there. They're just absolutely useless.

You've wasted your money. You might as well flush it down the toilet. So there you go. Just don't fall for these scams cuz you're guaranteed to get them if you have a trademark and you'll just keep on getting them.

Just screw them up. throw them in the bed I Hope that helps catch you next time.