Fake trademark or domain renewal invoice
An official-looking invoice demands payment for a trademark listing or domain renewal that you never needed.
Community reports: 0
How it works
- Soon after you apply for a trademark or register a company or website, an official-looking invoice arrives by email, often from a name close to a real registry.
- It says your trademark must be "listed" in a register or your domain renewed, and that your rights will lapse if you do not pay by the due date.
- The fee goes to a private company or scammer, and the "service" is worthless or does not exist.
What it looks like
Example messages. Numbers and links are masked.
Trademark Publication Notice: Your mark SHREE FOODS, application 5XXXXX7, must be entered in the World Trademark Register. Annual fee Rs 48,500. Pay within 7 days to avoid lapse.
DOMAIN EXPIRY NOTICE: yourshop[.]in will be cancelled on the 30th. Renew now at secure-domain-renewal[.]com for Rs 6,900.
Red flags
- Invoice from a body you never used
- Fee much higher than you expect
- Small print says "this is not an invoice"
- Deadline threatening loss of your rights
The one question to ask
Is this from the attorney or company that actually registered your trademark or domain?
Already paid or shared details?
Call your bank at once to try to stop or recall the payment, and call 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. Check renewals only with your trademark attorney or the company where you booked the domain.
1930 · cybercrime.gov.in
Also seen as
- Fake company registration renewal notice
- Fake MSME or ISO certificate renewal fee
- Search engine "listing" invoice