Clients are warned to be aware of a recent increase in scam emails targeting trade mark owners, applicants and businesses. These fraudulent messages are crafted to appear as legitimate communications from reputable law firms and, in some instances, impersonate real lawyers and firms by name.
The emails typically warn recipients that another party is attempting to register a similar or identical trade mark, suggesting that immediate action is necessary to protect their rights. The message often implies that failure to respond or make payment could lead to trade mark loss or even infringement claims.
These communications are scams. Their goal is to pressure recipients into paying unnecessary or entirely fictitious fees. The entities behind these emails have no affiliation with legitimate law firms or intellectual property offices.
Key indicators of these scam attempts may include:
- A sense of urgency or threat (e.g., another party registering your mark imminently)
- Requests for immediate payment to secure or oppose a trade mark
- Use of unfamiliar email addresses or slightly altered domain names
- Impersonation of real lawyers or law firm branding
If you receive such a message, do not reply or click on any links or provide any payment or personal information. We strongly recommend that you forward the email to us for verification.
Please contact us directly if you have any concerns about the status of your trade marks or if you have received a suspicious email. Your brand protection is our priority.
