$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
trademark registration invoice scam
After filing a trademark, businesses receive fake invoices from unofficial entities demanding payment for trademark registration, monitoring, or publication services.
“invoice scam”
↑ 2%Key indicators
Usually targetsSmall business owners
Often hitsFreelancers and contractors
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$960
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers monitor publicly available trademark filings and send invoices to new applicants within weeks of filing.
2
The invoices use official-sounding names and reference real application numbers to appear legitimate.
3
Paying the invoice provides no actual trademark services — the money goes directly to the scam operation.
What to do first
Only pay trademark fees through the official trademark office website (USPTO.gov in the US) or through your registered attorney.
Related terms
fake trademark feetrademark monitoring scamUSPTO impersonation invoiceFake invoice scamsMailStableSmall business ownersStartupsFreelancersFreelancers and contractorsSmall business ownersPayroll, HR, and finance teamsUnited StatesCanadaUnited Kingdomfake trademark feetrademark monitoring scam
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Jennifer, 45, a small business owners, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate fake invoice scams situation while using Mail. Scammers monitor publicly available trademark filings and send invoices to new applicants within weeks of filing.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: The invoices use official-sounding names and reference real application numbers to appear legitimate.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Paying the invoice provides no actual trademark services — the money goes directly to the scam operation.
The outcome
Jennifer realized something was wrong when the invoice arrives shortly after you file a trademark and references your application number. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Only pay trademark fees through the official trademark office website (USPTO.gov in the US) or through your registered attorney. Jennifer's experience shows why the invoice arrives shortly after you file a trademark and references your application number and the sending entity has an official-sounding name but is not the uspto, cipo, or your country's trademark office are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- The invoice arrives shortly after you file a trademark and references your application number
- The sending entity has an official-sounding name but is not the USPTO, CIPO, or your country's trademark office
- The fee is significantly higher than official government filing fees
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Only pay trademark fees through the official trademark office website (USPTO.gov in the US) or through your registered attorney.
- ✓The USPTO publishes a list of known misleading solicitation letters on its website — check it if you receive unexpected correspondence.
- ✓Report fraudulent trademark invoices to the USPTO and the FTC.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- The USPTO maintains a public scam alert page listing dozens of entities sending misleading trademark solicitations to new filers.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Only pay trademark fees through the official trademark office website (USPTO.gov in the US) or through your registered attorney.
- ✓The USPTO publishes a list of known misleading solicitation letters on its website — check it if you receive unexpected correspondence.
- ✓Report fraudulent trademark invoices to the USPTO and the FTC.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
The USPTO maintains a public scam alert page listing dozens of entities sending misleading trademark solicitations to new filers.
OpenScam research
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Small business owners, Startups, Freelancers
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union
Primary channel
Mail — Fake invoice scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Small business owners are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The ongoing nature of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- The USPTO maintains a public scam alert page listing dozens of entities sending misleading trademark solicitations to new filers.
Source notes
- OpenScam research
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about trademark registration invoice scam
How does the trademark registration invoice scam work?+
Scammers monitor publicly available trademark filings and send invoices to new applicants within weeks of filing. The invoices use official-sounding names and reference real application numbers to appear legitimate. Paying the invoice provides no actual trademark services — the money goes directly to the scam operation.
What are the warning signs of trademark registration invoice scam?+
The invoice arrives shortly after you file a trademark and references your application number The sending entity has an official-sounding name but is not the USPTO, CIPO, or your country's trademark office The fee is significantly higher than official government filing fees
What should I do if I encounter trademark registration invoice scam?+
Only pay trademark fees through the official trademark office website (USPTO.gov in the US) or through your registered attorney. The USPTO publishes a list of known misleading solicitation letters on its website — check it if you receive unexpected correspondence. Report fraudulent trademark invoices to the USPTO and the FTC.
Who is most at risk for trademark registration invoice scam?+
This scam primarily targets Small business owners, Startups, Freelancers. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union and typically appears on Mail.
Is trademark registration invoice scam still active?+
trademark registration invoice scam is currently on our watch list. It has been reported across US, CA, UK, EU. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.
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