Beware of spoofed calls that impersonate the USPTO

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USPTO Alert

Beware of spoofed calls that impersonate the USPTO

We are aware of phone scams where scammers attempt to fool applicants into providing personal or payment information by falsely claiming to be an employee with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The scammers use a tactic called "spoofing," where they will trick phone networks into displaying a name, number, and location different from their actual name, number, and location. They’re trying to trick you into believing you’re talking to the USPTO, so they can steal money or personal information from you. 

If you receive a call from someone you suspect is a scammer, do not give them any personal identifying or payment information. If we do call you, it will be to ask questions specific to your application as part of our examination process, or to invite you to a free outreach event in your area.

If you suspect that you have received a spoofed call:

• Contact the Inventors Assistance Center (IAC) (patent applicants) or the Trademark Assistance Center (trademark applicants) to verify if the call was from a USPTO employee.
• If you have the number that called you, please give it to the IAC or TAC representative who answers your call.   
• Patent applicants should check our Patent Center portal and input your application number to see if there have been any official communications regarding your application.
• Trademark applicants should check our Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system to see official communications we’ve sent you about your trademark submission.  

If you paid any money or gave the caller personal information, see what to do if you’ve been scammed. Take further action by filing a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission.  

We take all scams very seriously and appreciate your vigilance as we work to keep our customers safe. If you have questions, please email patentscams@uspto.gov or TMscams@uspto.gov or call our contact centers at 1-800-786-9199.

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