A client alerted me last week to a scam offer received to the “EPTR TRADEMARK REGISTER.” See image below. I have never hear of this register. Of course! Because all of these private registers are worthless. No one uses them (assuming they can even be used.) They are scams.
The invoice or offer from EPTR looks like government official communication. They ask for outrageous amounts of money. This invoice indicates that the request for $1460.00 is for a “Filing Fee” which also sounds official since the USPTO has filing fees. I visited their website and I’m not even convinced that the database has anything in it (or their search function does not work).
It appears this particular EPTR scam has been around, at least in Europe, but it may be new in the US.
It continues to astound me that the USPTO, DOJ, FTC, and others refuse to investigate and stop these blatant scams targeting trademark owners.
I’ve just received a very similar letter with a large “filing fee” on it. I’m in Australia also for reference.