Recognize the pattern
How it starts
Emails, calls or mailed bills after an application.
The promise
Your application will lapse unless you pay immediately.
What happens next
Correct filing numbers lend credibility to official-looking notices that redirect payment to private accounts or unnecessary services.
Signs to watch for
- An urgent deadline absent from official records
- Private or unfamiliar payment accounts
- Requests the filing account password
Start with what you can do now
If this happened to you
Pause payment and verify the notice with the USPTO or your actual attorney.
Preserve the notice, envelope, invoice and payment details.
Report a deceptive solicitation through the USPTO’s official reporting channels.
What to save
Keep the original records. Use copies to organize the details.
- Billing notices and email headers
- Filing number and real status
- Agent identity and agreement
- Payments and recipient details
Before you send money
- Check the application through USPTO.gov.
- Verify an attorney through the relevant state bar.
- Ask what the service actually provides before agreeing to a fee.
These guides explain common patterns. The facts of your situation and your payment provider’s rules determine which steps are available.