TradeMark Express Warns Business Owners: How to Spot Fake 'Trademark Attorney' Scams

Company shares verification steps and red flags after a surge in fake trademark attorney texts and emails targeting small businesses.

LOS ALTOS, CA, UNITED STATES, June 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- TradeMark Express, a trademark research and application preparation company serving small businesses and entrepreneurs since 1992, is alerting business owners to a growing wave of fraudulent texts and emails impersonating trademark attorneys. These scams pressure recipients into paying urgent "filing fees" to protect a name or logo that is often already legally theirs.

How the Scam Works

According to TradeMark Express, the scheme typically follows a predictable pattern:

1. The urgent contact. A business owner receives an unsolicited text or email from someone claiming to be an attorney, warning that a third party is about to file for trademark rights to their business name or logo.
2. The false urgency. The message claims the recipient must act "today" to avoid losing their name or being forced to rebrand.
3. The fabricated fee structure. The sender requests a relatively small "initial filing fee," followed by larger "federal filing fees," often totaling several hundred dollars.
4. The payment capture. Once payment information is provided, the scammer may file nothing at all, file improperly, or use the captured card for additional unauthorized charges.

"The goal of the scam is to use fear and urgency to bypass a business owner's better judgment," said Chris DeMassa, Founder of TradeMark Express. "Real trademark concerns don't require same-day payment over text message."

Red Flags Business Owners Should Watch For

TradeMark Express recommends checking for the following warning signs before responding to any unsolicited trademark communication:

• Contact by text message. Legitimate trademark attorneys and the USPTO do not typically initiate contact about an existing registration via text.
• Pressure to act immediately. Scammers rely on urgency to prevent recipients from researching the claim or consulting a trusted advisor.
• Vague or inconsistent service descriptions. Be cautious if the "classes" or services referenced don't match what the business actually offers.
• Unusually low fees for "comprehensive" legal research. Thorough trademark clearance research takes real time and resources; rock-bottom pricing for "worldwide" searches is a common red flag.
• Missing or inconsistent business details. Look for missing suite numbers at listed office addresses, recently registered domains, multiple similar-sounding company names, or inconsistent contact information across communications.
• Stock or recycled photography. Reverse-image searching a "team photo" can reveal whether it was lifted from an unrelated source.
• No verifiable presence with bar associations or known industry directories. A genuine law firm's name should be findable through standard searches of relevant state bar association records.

Independent Fraud-Tracking Sites Confirm the Pattern

Consumer fraud-tracking site The Daily Scam reached a similar conclusion after reviewing a comparable operation, noting the firm appeared to be "a fraud."

The site's review pointed to several of the same red flags outlined above: listed office addresses with no suite numbers despite claiming space in multi-story buildings, a "team" photo that traced back to an unrelated news interview from 2024, and recently registered domains using privacy proxies inconsistent with a long-established U.S. law firm.

The site also noted poor public reviews and an inability to verify the firm through known bar association or media archives it claimed to be affiliated with.

What To Do Instead

TradeMark Express advises business owners who receive a suspicious trademark-related text or email to:

• Not click links or call back numbers provided in the message.
• Independently verify any registration status directly through the USPTO's TSDR (Trademark Status and Document Retrieval) system using the business's own records, rather than information supplied by the sender.
• Consult a trademark professional or licensed attorney through a known, verifiable referral source before making any payment.
• Report suspicious messages to the USPTO, the Federal Trade Commission, and consumer-protection resources such as the Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker.

About TradeMark Express

Founded in 1992, TradeMark Express provides comprehensive trademark clearance research and application preparation support to small business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs across the United States. Our detailed trademark clearance searches identify potential conflicts before filing, giving you confidence in securing your trademark and building long-term brand protection.

Chris DeMassa
TradeMark Express
+1 650-948-0530
email us here
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