We are seeing more and more scams related to trademarks. They are getting increasingly sophisticated. Please, please, please do not pay for anything over the phone. The USPTO never asks for money over the phone. The website is www.uspto.gov. It is the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”). Some of the scams say things like the United States Patent and Trademark Center. Please be careful. We post about this often, and yet it isn’t often enough. The scams keep evolving.
The USPTO has a resource center here: https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/protect. Darren Marlar of Weird Darkness discusses just one of the many here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQsWSdgEN8Y. If you are even a little bit unsure, please take Darren’s advice and ask your lawyer.
We can’t say this vehemently enough. Asking is a sign of being smart. I promise that no attorney will ever think you are silly for asking them about it. Don’t have one: Ask us. We hate the scammers, and we know just how sneaky they are. If you think you’ve been scammed, ask, too. Again, your attorney will not think you were silly or stupid. The scammers are trying really, really hard to trick you. And we know how busy you are. So please, if in doubt for any reason, ask. And frankly, if there is money involved, ask before paying – even if you aren’t in doubt.
P.S. This goes for any government agency. We’ve seen these for the IRS, DOR, and even Wisconsin DFI and other state’s Secretary of State. It’s that bad.