How to Spot Trademark Scams and USPTO Fee Fraud

What are the most common trademark scams?

The most common trademark scams are unsolicited invoices and misleading solicitations that imitate official agencies. After you file, your name and address become part of the public USPTO record, and scammers scrape that data to send official-looking mail. Typical schemes include fake "registration" or "publication" fees, private registries that offer to list your mark for a charge with no legal effect, bogus monitoring subscriptions, and premature or inflated "renewal" notices. Some use names and seals designed to look like a government office. None of these grant or maintain the federal trademark rights that only registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office provides — the true foundation of your intellectual property and brand protection.

How can you tell a real USPTO notice from a fake?

You verify a notice by checking the sender's domain, the payment destination, and the fee against official USPTO figures. Real correspondence about your application comes through the USPTO's official channels and the uspto.gov domain, and genuine government fees are paid only at uspto.gov. Warning signs of fraud include a private company name dressed up to sound governmental, a demand to pay a third party by a tight deadline, a fee that does not match the USPTO's published $350-per-class amount, and a mailing that arrives soon after you file. When in doubt, look up your application status directly in the USPTO's online system rather than acting on the letter.

How do you avoid trademark fee fraud?

You avoid fee fraud by knowing what you owe, to whom, and when — before any notice arrives. The practical steps are: (1) understand that the government registration fee is $350 per class, separate from any filing-service fee; (2) file through a transparent service that itemizes its own charge, so you can tell a service fee from a government fee; (3) ignore unsolicited mail that asks you to pay a company you did not hire; (4) verify status and deadlines in the USPTO's official system; and (5) keep records of what you have paid and when renewals are actually due. Because U.S.-domiciled applicants are not required to use an attorney, a clear flat-fee service keeps your costs honest and predictable.

Key takeaways

• Most trademark scams are unsolicited invoices and fake "registry" or "publication" offers.
• Genuine USPTO fees are paid only through uspto.gov and are set at $350 per class.
• Only registration with the USPTO grants federal trademark rights — private registries do not.
• Verify any notice in the USPTO's official online system before paying anyone.
• Secure Mark USA files transparently from $99 plus the $350-per-class USPTO fee and is not a law firm.

Frequently asked questions