Trademark Filers Warned: New USPTO Impersonation Scam Calls Business Owners Within Minutes of Filing

TradeMark Express warns entrepreneurs of a phone and email scam mimicking USPTO officials, demanding money for a fake "Global Trademark"

LOS ALTOS, CA, UNITED STATES, June 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- TradeMark Express, a trademark research and application preparation company serving small business owners and entrepreneurs since 1992, is warning trademark applicants about a fast-moving impersonation scam in which fraudsters pose as U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) officials and contact filers within minutes of submitting a new application.

In a recent incident reported to TradeMark Express, a client who filed a new Intent-to-Use trademark application received a phone call within minutes claiming to be from the "Patent & Trademark" office, with caller ID displaying the USPTO's actual main phone number. The caller told the applicant that her $700 filing only covered "goods" and that she needed to pay an additional $4,000 for "Global Authority" to protect the mark internationally.

The day after the call, the same applicant received a follow-up email from a domain registered just two days earlier, formatted to closely resemble official USPTO correspondence and requesting a "verification call" to confirm application details.

"The USPTO doesn't pick up the phone and ask for more money — and there's no such thing as a 'global trademark,'" said Chris DeMassa, Founder of TradeMark Express. "If someone calls you minutes after you file demanding thousands of dollars to 'protect' your mark worldwide, hang up. That's not the government. That's a thief with a spoofed phone number."

How to Recognize This Type of Scam

TradeMark Express identifies several consistent warning signs in this and similar reported schemes:

• Spoofed caller ID. Scammers can display a legitimate phone number, including the USPTO's published number, even though the call did not originate from that office.
• Urgency and add-on fees. Requests for immediate payment to "expedite," "protect globally," or "verify" an application are not part of standard USPTO procedure.
• Look-alike domains and email addresses. Newly registered domains designed to resemble official government addresses are a recurring tactic. The USPTO's only official website ends in .gov.
• Unsolicited verification calls. The USPTO communicates application status and any issues through formal, written Office Actions posted to the applicant's official case record, not through phone calls requesting personal or payment information.
• References to a "Global Trademark." No such registration exists. Trademark protection is jurisdiction-specific.

TradeMark Express also notes that similar schemes have involved fraudulent use of third-party verification services, unauthorized listing of scammer-controlled email addresses on official filings, and, in some cases, forged applicant signatures submitted to the USPTO. Submitting a trademark application with a forged signature is a federal offense, and the USPTO can terminate any application found to have been filed this way.

What Trademark Applicants Can Do

TradeMark Express recommends that anyone who files a trademark application, or who receives a call or email referencing a pending application, take the following steps:

1. Verify directly. Check application status only through the USPTO's official TSDR (Trademark Status and Document Retrieval) system at uspto.gov.
2. Hang up and call back independently. Do not provide payment information to an inbound caller. Look up the USPTO's number independently and call it directly if there is a question.
3. Treat phone calls about a pending application as a red flag. The USPTO corresponds about substantive matters in writing, through the official case record.
4. Report suspected scams. Incidents can be reported to the USPTO and the Federal Communications Commission, which also publishes guidance on caller ID spoofing at fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing.
5. Work with a trusted trademark research provider or attorney. A qualified provider can help applicants understand what is and is not part of the standard filing process, reducing the chance that a scam call or email will catch them off guard.

"Trademark owners shouldn't let scare tactics like these make them hesitant to protect their brand," DeMassa added. "Filing a trademark is a sound investment in a business's long-term value. The key is knowing what the real process looks like, so a fake one is easy to spot."

About TradeMark Express

Founded in 1992, TradeMark Express provides comprehensive trademark clearance research and application preparation support to small business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs across the United States. Our detailed trademark clearance searches identify potential conflicts before filing, giving you confidence in securing your trademark and building long-term brand protection.

Chris DeMassa
TradeMark Express
+1 650-948-0530
staff@tmexpress.com
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