Back to Cost of trademark registration

I received an invoice from IPTO asking for money. Is this legitimate?

Founder & Trademark Attorney

No. This is a well-known and extremely common trademark scam. After your application is filed, some contact details become publicly available in the IP office’s register. Malicious third parties then use this information to send fraudulent invoices that resemble official correspondence, typically requesting payment for fake services such as "publication" or "registration" in unofficial trademark databases.

These invoices have no legal standing and no connection to the official IP office. You are not required to pay them. If you receive one, discard it. If you are unsure whether correspondence is genuine, check directly with the IP office where your trademark was filed or contact your legal representative.

Related questions

How long does it take to register a trademark?

We have looked into the last 1,000 trademarks registered in main intellectual property offices, including USPTO (United States), UKIPO (United Kingdom), EUIPO (European Union), CNIPA (China), CIPO (Canada), ROSPATENT (Russia), IPA (Australia), BOIP (Benelux), IGE-IPI (Switzerland), NIPO (Norway), KIPO (Republic of Korea), and CGPDTM (India), exploring the average time it takes for a trademark to be registered in the selected jurisdictions.

Airbnb versus Hairbnb: How trademark protects against unexpected threats

Taking a creative spin on an already established and renown brand may seem as a good strategy for devising a name for a startup company but it may backfire. This article summarises one of the contemporary cases in this area, revealing that Airbnb’s trademark protects the company against unexpected threats.

Should you trademark your domain name?

Intellectual property of a brand does not end with its name or logo, but can also cover domain name. If you want to reinforce your brand name and ensure visibility of your business online, you should consider trademarking your domain name.