Scam alert
Trademark scams: how to spot fake USPTO calls, emails and invoices
Your name, address and serial number become public the day you file. Scammers use that record to send official-looking demands. Here is how the real USPTO contacts you, what fake notices look like, and where to report them.
By Bill, Business Growth Expert · Verified and checked on October 20, 2026
Short answer
Real USPTO emails come only from @uspto.gov, and USPTO fees are paid only through USPTO.gov. The USPTO never asks for payment or personal details by phone, email or text. Every official letter also appears in your file in the USPTO's TSDR system: if it isn't in TSDR, it isn't official. Report suspicious notices to TMScams@uspto.gov, or call the Trademark Assistance Center at 1-800-786-9199 to check.
How can you tell a real USPTO notice from a fake one?
Real USPTO communication
- Emails from an address ending in @uspto.gov
- The full name “United States Patent and Trademark Office”
- Fees listed on the official USPTO fee schedule and paid on USPTO.gov
- The same document visible in TSDR under your serial or registration number
- Deadlines that match the dates shown in TSDR
Warning signs of a scam
- Senders such as “Trademark Renewal Service” or similar official-sounding names
- Fine print saying the company is not a government agency
- Payment by wire transfer, gift card, check or money order to a private address
- Phone calls claiming missing fees will stop your application
- Pressure to act today, and prices far above USPTO fees
The fastest test is to open TSDR, search your serial number, and check the documents tab. A genuine Office Action, notice or fee request will be there.
What are the most common trademark scams right now?
Fake USPTO phone calls
Callers spoof caller ID to look like the USPTO and claim a fee is missing or your application will be cancelled. USPTO staff will not ask for payment or card details by phone.
Official-looking invoices
Private companies mail “renewal” or “registration” notices, often near maintenance deadlines, charging far more than USPTO fees for little or nothing.
Imposter emails
Personalized with your serial number to look real. Some scammers even sign you up for USPTO email alerts so a later call seems credible.
Spoofed websites
Copies of USPTO.gov or my.USPTO.gov built to collect your login or payment details. Check the address ends in .gov.
Hijacked contact email
Someone changes the email address on your application to take control of your brand on marketplaces. If you get an unexpected change alert, reply to TEAS@uspto.gov.
“Publication” and foreign registry offers
Offers to list your mark in a private directory or an “international register”. These have no legal effect.
What should you do if you get a suspicious notice?
- Don't pay and don't click. Don't call any number printed on the notice.
- Check TSDR for your serial or registration number. Compare any deadline to the one shown there.
- Read the fine print. Many notices admit they are not from a government agency.
- Report it using the right USPTO contact below.
| Situation | Where to report |
|---|---|
| Spoofed USPTO website, fake signature, or an unexpected attorney on your file | TMScams@uspto.gov |
| Email address on your application changed without your permission | Reply to TEAS@uspto.gov |
| Someone misusing an attorney’s name or details | OED@uspto.gov |
| Not sure if a message is real | Trademark Assistance Center, 1-800-786-9199 |
If you already paid, contact your bank or card issuer straight away and ask about reversing the charge.
Which real deadlines do scammers copy?
Scam notices often arrive near genuine milestones, because they are easy to calculate from public records. Knowing the real ones makes fakes easier to spot:
- Office Action responses: three months from the issue date, plus an optional three-month extension. See how to respond to an Office Action.
- Section 8 declaration: between the 5th and 6th year after registration ($325 per class).
- Renewal (Sections 8 and 9): every 10 years from registration ($325 per class for each). See how to renew a trademark registration.
A note about private filing services, including us
Legitimate private services exist. Secure Mark USA is one: a trademark filing service, not a law firm and not a government agency. A legitimate service makes that clear, shows its fees separately from the USPTO's $350-per-class fee, and never pretends a notice comes from the USPTO. If anything from any company, ours included, looks like it's from the government, check it in TSDR first.
Filing a new trademark? Start with a free search.
Run a free trademark searchTrademark scam questions
Does the USPTO call trademark owners asking for payment?
No. The USPTO says its employees will never ask for personal or payment information by phone, email or text. Callers who say a fee is missing are a known scam.
How do I know if a trademark email is really from the USPTO?
Official emails come from an @uspto.gov address, and any official correspondence also appears in TSDR under your serial or registration number. If it isn’t in TSDR, it isn’t official.
Where do I report a trademark scam?
Send spoofed websites, fake signatures and suspicious notices to TMScams@uspto.gov. If you are unsure whether a message is real, call the Trademark Assistance Center at 1-800-786-9199.
Why do I keep getting trademark renewal letters from companies I don’t know?
Your filing details are public, so private companies mail official-looking offers, often near real deadlines. Check the sender’s name and the fine print, and confirm any deadline in TSDR.
Is a trademark filing service a scam?
Not necessarily. Legitimate services state clearly that they are private companies, show their fees separately from USPTO fees, and do not imitate government notices.
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice. Secure Mark USA is a trademark filing service, not a law firm or a government agency. Contact details are taken from the USPTO’s published guidance on the date shown. Check the USPTO website for the latest information.
Sources
- USPTO: Caution about misleading notices and trademark scams, checked October 20, 2026
- USPTO: Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR)
- USPTO: Fee schedule
Verified and checked on October 20, 2026.