A client forwarded me the scam solicitation received below from the WTMR – World Trademark Register.
The “Word Trademark Register” is not any official database or directory. It has no real benefits. It was essentially created for the purpose of taking people’s money. According to their website, “Our main business activity is to publish the World TradeMark Register Catalog, which is an annual, unofficial, international catalog of registered trademarks.” In essence, they acknowledge the directory has no real value or purpose.
I have never once met a trademark attorney that uses such directories for any searches or other purposes, or one recommends to his or her clients that they pay these fees. The address provided is a shared virtual office space.
Don’t be taken for this scam to the tune of $980.00 USD.
Beware of such scams. Read the fine print. Contact your attorney. Report scams to the FTC and USPTO.
For more information, see:
- How to avoid being taken by a trademark scam
- WARNING: Non-USPTO Solicitations That May Resemble Official USPTO Communications
I received the same document. I was able to sniff it out quickly but I’d imagine many people will fall for this hook line and sinker.
Daniel
My trademark just got registered and a few days later I got this letter for $980 . Sounded so legitimate. Then i started to read through the whole thing especially in very small letters and did a search of my own. IT’S A SCAM!!! Be aware.
People. Don’t be idiots. When you hire an attorney and pay them to register your trademark with the USPTO office you are already doing exactly what these “WTMR” @$$holes are claiming to do. Why did you hire an attorney? What do you think they were doing for you with all that money you paid them? I don’t know what’s worse… the people who do these scams or the people who fall for them.
Thank you for publishing this post. I was about ready to part with $980! When I first received the letter I was wondering why my attorney had not taken care of this already since the Trademark was filed 6 months ago, however I did not want to risk loosing it. Well, good luck to WTMR.
I have received 2 bills from Glotrade After having others like it. I read endings where the want to send money Before it was the Czech Republic. So I knew it was a hoax . Another said to pay to Czech bank address in Ca. It’s all junk and they should be put out of business.
Thank you for posting. I received a letter in the mail today requesting 980.00 and immediately checked your website.
I just received this letter. It looks exactly the same! I immediately emailed my attorney. Since it is late in the night he has not responded. Thank God for this site. I was growing infuriated, thinking I was scammed by my attorney. I’m so glad I researched the letter!
I looked up their physical address and they’re located in OSI Offices in DC which is a shared office space. Called the manager there and let them know someone is running a potential scam.
https://osioffices.com/
Recieved this today and knew it was a scam asking for an amount of $980 dollars. I immediately ripped it up.
Thank you for your post. I received this and did some research. I appreciate your help.
Thanks for this post, glad it was the first link on google. Letter did look legit upon first glance, but always good to research.
Add another to the count. Got one of those scam notices today.
I just got one of these today. So depressing to think how many people will fall for this.
Hello, I just received this letter yesterday. I was doing my research and found out it’s a scam. Is there anyone who can guide what to do to protect trademark once it is approved. Mine just got registered last week.
Wow saved me $980. I almost paid this as it looked legit.
I got another one from another source for almost $3k but that one looked very much like a scam. This i thought was legit until i did a search.
thanks
We (small wedding floral design) just received this letter. Thanks for your blog to make it an easy Google search to confirm its true nature.
I received a scam letter asking for money; the address is the Servcorp location in DC. Business is WTMR LLC. It’s becoming well-known, this scam. I suggesed they kick them out before they are involved in a possible mass law-suit against WTMR LLC, since Servcorp is now aware of them and allow them to operate within their facility, they may be considered an accomplice since they are accepting their scam money for rent. Why someone hasn’t filled suit yet is beyond me.
I received a scam letter asking for money; the address is the Servcorp location in DC. Business is WTMR LLC. It’s becoming well-known, this scam. I suggested they kick them out before your they are involved in a mass law-suit against them, since they are aware of them and allow them to operate within their facility, they may be considered an accomplice since they are accepting their scam money for rent. Someone should fill a lawsuit against WTMR LLC.
Just received the same letter from this bogus company.. they clearly need to learn how to type up a document.. I immediately knew it was a scam since the amount they stated ($1397,00) had a comma and not a period.. another thing that caught my attention was the only payment method accepted was “check” hmmm very interesting since USTPO takes credit or debit cards NOT CHECKS! Please be aware of this and do not fall for this ..
Thanks for posting. I received it today, suspected it was not legit, and your site was easy to find on Google which confirmed my suspicion.
Ugh I feel for it. Head down working fast. What is the recommendation around this?
Contact WTMR and demand your money back ASAP. Also contact USPTO and FTC to complain about this scam and provide them more details to help them crack down on WTMR and others like it.
I spoke with the USPTO Commissioner for Trademarks this morning, she recommmends that anyone receiving the letter should submit a detailed complaint to the FTC. https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/?utm_source=takeaction#crnt
Got it today and sniffed it out. Wish the USPTO or others could warn people in their literature they send about these scams, so people like the one above wouldn’t get caught. $980 is a lot of money to give these bastards.
I spoke with the USPTO Commissioner for Trademarks this morning, she recommmends that anyone receiving the letter should submit a detailed complaint to the FTC. https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/?utm_source=takeaction#crnt
I just received this letter for my new business. I knew it was B.S. when I read “By paying this amount indicated, you accept this offer.” What offer? No offer was mentioned. So I Googled it and found this page. Thank you for posting this online to protect others.
Unbelievable how the current laws does not protect consumers from such scummers!
They must be all shut down!
GOT THE SAME IN MAIL.
THANKS FOR YOUR POST
IT LOOKED SO REAL AT FIRST. I’M GLAD YOUR LINK IS MORE ON TOP OF GOOGLE SEARCH WHEN SEARCHING FOR WTMR LLC.
WHAT MADE ME THINK TWICE WAS 1. AN OFFICIAL AGENCY ISNT AN LLC 2.THE ADDRESS DIDNT LOOK OFFICIAL WHEN I SEARCHED IT.
I just received this letter in the mail and knew immediately something was wrong! How can they get away with this???
As a digital business owner, we are put through the ringer with compliance, taxes and legal stuff to make sure we’re on the up and up.
It kills me that “businesses” like this can even exist. These people should be thrown in jail forever.
I received this same letter in the mail just yesterday . Thank you for placing this information on your web page for others to see . My first question in mind was why if my logo/trademark is all ready protected through proper channels such as U S P T O .
Got a similar letter from WTMR. I had filed a trademark application myself for my own side business. It just turns out that I am a patent attorney. This looked like a scam. Why on earth would you need to register your trademark with these clowns? So that the world would know that the trademark is registered to you? Hello? The patent office already publishes it in its trademark database, whether or not you fork over an additional $980 or not. In fact, the very reason we get these solicitations is likely because WTMR scans the patent office listings, to then send the letters.
I received this letter today and I was going to send the check for my grandson, and my sense told me to google the company, and everyones comments popped up. Thanks Everyone for sharing.
Glad you found out it is a scam! If you want details on how to report the scam to the FTC, see: https://www.erikpelton.com/how-to-report-trademark-scam-mail-to-the-ftc/
Thank you very much for this site. I have mail forwarding and so as I’m awaiting my official docs from the USPTO so Immediately I shredded it.
They are scam
This invoice scam is still going in 2020. I received this today too. The fee is still $980. No thanks, WTMR.
I paid and now im hopimg my bank can give me back the money after reporting this site where everyone was scammed
I got one of these letters also and I filed with a trademark company who i thought I had got scamed with. But ended up getting everything done.
I knew it was a scam when I saw it.
Words of wisdom to all of you research any and all so called trademark companies before you send them money. Another thing if they promise you that they can get you a trademark. That is a red flag. No one can promise you that you will get a trademark, if they do that is a scam.
Another thing if a company says they can get it done quickly, then that is also a scam. Trademarks are a very long drawn out time. It takes 3 months before they review it and Another 6 months before you know anything. It has been 6 months and I may hear the final results in 2021.
So don’t get in a hurry they take their time lol.
Yep I have the same thing arrive. Stay AWAY folks. I read it and felt it was a scam then did the research and for sure! Toss it
I just got this in the mail. I’m glad I googled it. and thank you for posting this.
Just received this in the mail today and thank you so much for posting this info.
I received this letter about two weeks ago, ready to send in payment when I received an email from the USPTO that I have six month to submit a SOU/Extension request. It was then that it dawned to me that WTMR is suspect. Total scam!!
I received the letter today requesting $980.00. had that bad feeling that something was wrong. Googled http://WWW.WTMR.ORG. OH MY, what a surprise, please let me know how this scam is still going on. Some of your reply’s are from 2018.
Who is protecting the people that have worked hard to apply for a TRADEMARK?
I JUST GOT THE 980.00 BILL. I CONTACTED THE US POSTAL INSPECTORS. THEY HAD ONE QUESTION. “WHAT IS THE POSTAGE METER NUMBER?”
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Received my letter from the WTMR SCAMMERS today. It’s so refreshing that we can stick together to help thwart the scammers.
I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Thank you for the info. My company received this letter a couple days ago and my job is research so here I am! Thank you for making my job easier and making it so black & white for anyone searching.
I’m so glad you were able to find out about the scam before paying them!
Looks like they’re still at it. I received the same letter and was researching to see if it was real or not. Is there a way USPTO can post these examples and companies boldly on their site?
The USPTO has provided some examples here: https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/protect/caution-misleading-notices. But I would urge those who have received the scams to contact USPTO, FTC, and others to keep alerting them regarding the prevalence of the scam.
Pingback: Beware of continuing trademark scam from WTMR, now with Fort Lauderdale address | Erik M Pelton & Associates, PLLCErik M Pelton & Associates, PLLC
They’re still running this scam – now with a return address of PO Box 22546 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33335-2546
I think one of the contributing reasons why some have fallen for this scam is the fees approximate the registration fees required by the USTPO. It’s like they’re banking on some employee running across the letter and figuring, “Oops! I must have forgotten to send in the fees!”
Yeah, no. Save yourself some money – don’t send these frauds a dime.
This scam is still going on in 2022 and probably into 2023 as well. They are using the return address of PO Box 22546, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33335-2546. They’re asking $980 to “help” register our trademark! This is why every small business should have a business lawyer; trademark registration doesn’t cost more than $60.
I work for a small business, and we get inundated with these scammy “offers” every month. I report all of them to the state AG. Here’s where you can file a complaint: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/E3EB45228E9229DD85257B05006E32EC
Be sure to do so when you get another offer from WTMR LLC. The more complaints about a business the State AG receives, the more likely they are to investigate and close that business!
Just received one in the mail, October 2024. This scam is still going, beware! Thank you for the blog post, it’s one of the first things that pops up when you google this!