Trademark Update: USPTO Sanctions Scammers for Fraudulently Filing Thousands of Applications

On January 25, 2022, the USPTO issued an order for sanctions against Abtach Ltd., 360 Digital Marketing LLC, and Retrocube LLC. These entities operated a series of low-cost trademark filing and design websites used to defraud trademark owners and the USPTO. An investigation uncovered significant fraud resulting in over 5,500 invalidly filed applications.

Because of this fraudulent activity, the USPTO has terminated applications filed through these entities. If these terminations affect your application, consider following these steps. You can find more information on what to do if you have been the victim of a scam on the USPTO’s website.

The USPTO has dedicated extensive resources to fight trademark fraud. Read the USPTO’s recent blog post on its comprehensive efforts to protect trademark owners, applicants, and the U.S. trademark register.