Got a suspicious phone call shortly after filing your trademark application? It’s a scam. Fraudsters obtain specific application details and use them to contact business owners posing as government officials and demanding payment.
Here’s how this scam played out in one recent case — and the pattern is consistent with reports from other trademark filers.
The setup is disturbingly fast. A business owner files a trademark application through the USPTO’s online system. Within minutes, their phone rings. The caller ID displays a real USPTO phone number. The person on the line claims to be from the “Patent & Trademark” office and warns that the $700 application fee only covered “goods” — and that the applicant now owes an additional $4,000 for “Global Authority” to protect the mark internationally.
None of that is real. There is no such thing as a “Global Trademark,” and the USPTO does not call applicants to collect additional fees after filing.
The next day, the same applicant received a follow-up email from a domain registered just two days earlier, formatted to look like official USPTO correspondence and requesting a “verification call.”
The reason this scam is so effective is the speed. Getting a call within minutes of filing makes it feel like it must be legitimate — like the USPTO actually processed your application that fast and found a problem. But that’s not how it works.
USPTO applications enter a queue and aren’t reviewed by an examining attorney for months. The timing isn’t a sign the call is real — it’s a tactic designed to catch applicants off guard before they have a chance to question it.
The caller ID spoofing adds another layer of false legitimacy. Technology exists that allows anyone to display any phone number on your caller ID — including the USPTO’s actual published number. A familiar-looking number is not proof the call is coming from that number.
Can scammers really see my trademark application right after I file it? Yes. USPTO applications do become part of the public record, and filing does make your contact information visible. They obtain specific application details and use them to target new applicants.
Does the USPTO call applicants after they file? No. The USPTO communicates about substantive application matters in writing through your official case record. Phone calls requesting payment or personal information are not part of the process.
What is a “Global Trademark” and do I need one? There is no such thing as a single global trademark. Trademark rights are jurisdiction-specific — you register separately in each country or region where you want protection. Any caller claiming you need to pay for “global coverage” through the USPTO is running a scam.
What should I do if I already gave someone my payment information? Contact your bank or credit card company immediately to report potential fraud and request a new card. Also report the incident to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
How do I know if a call or email is really from the USPTO? The USPTO’s only official website ends in .gov, and official email addresses end in @uspto.gov. When in doubt, hang up and contact the USPTO directly using contact information you find independently at uspto.gov.
Working with a trusted trademark research provider before and after you file helps you know exactly what to expect from the real process — so a fake version is easy to spot. If you have questions about your trademark application, TradeMark Express is here to help.
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