It has come to the attention of the International Bureau that PCT applicants and agents are receiving invitations to pay fees that do not come from the International Bureau of WIPO and are unrelated to the processing of international applications under the PCT. Whatever registration services might be offered in such invitations, they bear no connection to WIPO or to any of its official publications.
The invitations often identify a particular PCT application by its international publication number (eg: WO 02 xxxxxx), publication date, title of the invention, international application number, priority information and IPC symbols; examples of such invitations can be viewed below.
EPTP – European Patent & Trademark Protection
Published on April 10, 2024
IPWU – Intellectual Property World Union
Published on January 9, 2023
EIPS – European Intellectual Property Services
Published on January 11, 2022
WPTD Office – World Patent & Trademark Database
Published on May 27, 2021
WPTAgency – World Patent & Trademark Agency
Published on June 4, 2020
IPS – Intellectual Property Services
Published on September 10, 2019
WPTR – World Patent and Trademark Register
Published on November 26, 2018
IPTA – International Patent and Trademark Agency
Published on July 23, 2018
IPTR – Intellectual Patent and Trademark Register
Published on February 13, 2018
IPRS – Intellectual property register services
Published on February 5, 2018
WPT service – World Patent and Trademark Service
Published on October 25, 2017
IRO – The Patent Office
Published on July 28, 2017
ITMORG – International Trademark Monitoring Organization
Published on May 16, 2017
IP Direct – International Patent & Trademark Directory
Published on January 24, 2017
IRO – Intellectual Property Office
Published on November 1, 2016
IRPT – International Register of Patents & Trademarks
Published on October 26, 2016
PATR Servis – Worldwide Patent Service
Published on June 30, 2016
IPWTO – Intellectual Property World Trade Organization
Published on June 28, 2016
IIP – International Intellectual Property Office
Published on February 22, 2016
IPTI – International Patents & Trademark Index
Published on February 15, 2016
WIPD – Registration of International Patents Intellectual Property Office
Published on January 4, 2016
OPT – Organization for Patents and Trademarks
Published on December 18, 2015
WPAT – Registration of International Patents
Published on October 14, 2015
IP Save
Published on September 24, 2015
Patent Registration - R & W Stretch Ceilings Ltd.
Published on May 8, 2015
WPTS - World Patent & Trademark Service
Published on April 16, 2015
WPTO - World Patent & Trademark Organization
Published on February 20, 2015
Search Index Registration Department - Registration of International Patent
Published on December 19, 2014
WIPO - World Intelligent Property Office
Published on December 17, 2014
RPT Servis - World Wide Patent Service
Published on November 26, 2014
WIPP - World Intellectual Property Publisher
Published on November 21, 2014
IP World – Registration of International Patent
Published on November 14, 2014
IPTO - International Patent & Trademark Organization
Published on October 27, 2014
IPT Patents
Published on September 17, 2014
IPTG - International Patent and Trademark Guide
Published on August 19, 2014
WOPD - Worldwide Online Patent Database
Published on August 6, 2014
UPTS - Universal Patents and Trademarks Service
Published on August 1, 2014
Commercial Center for Industry and Trade
Published on July 4, 2014
Euro IP Register
Published on July 4, 2014
WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database
Published on July 4, 2014
WPTI - World Patent and Trademark Index
Published on July 4, 2014
UPTS - Universal Patents and Trademarks Service
Published on May 22, 2014
IPT PATENTS - Register of International Patents
Published on February 19, 2014
FOIP - Federated Organization for Intellectual Property
Published on February 6, 2014
IPTS - International Patent and Trademark Service
Published on December 10, 2013
IPTR - International Patent and Trademark Register
Published on November 28, 2013
IP DATA - Register of International Patents
Published on November 12, 2013
WBIP - World Bureau for Intellectual Property
Published on September 10, 2013
TPS - Trademark and Patent Service
Published on July 31, 2013
Novislink limited
Published on July 10, 2013
European Register of Brands and Patents (REGIPAT)
Published on July 1, 2013
IPTS - International Patent and Trademark Service
Published on April 5, 2013
UPTS - Universal Patents and Trademarks Service
Published on March 1, 2013
WIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on January 21, 2013
WIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on January 10, 2013
WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents
Published on November 15, 2012
WPTI - World Patent and Trademark Index
Published on October 2, 2012
WIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on June 8, 2012
ODM - Patent Trademark Register
Published on March 14, 2012
RIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on March 14, 2012
ODM - Patent Trademark Register
Published on March 13, 2012
RIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on March 13, 2012
European Central Register of Brands and Patents
Published on March 2, 2012
Euro IP Register
Published on March 2, 2012
RIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on February 7, 2012
RIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on February 7, 2012
IOPR - Intellectual Office Property Register
Published on January 3, 2012
Euro IP Register
Published on December 23, 2011
WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents
Published on December 13, 2011
ODM - Patent Trademark Register
Published on December 13, 2011
RIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on November 21, 2011
CPTD - Central Patent & Trademark Database
Published on September 2, 2011
WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents
Published on August 2, 2011
WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents
Published on July 7, 2011
ODM - Patent & Trademark Office
Published on May 2, 2011
WOIP - Globex World Organisation Intellectual Property
Published on March 18, 2011
WOIP - Globex World Organisation Intellectual Property
Published on March 3, 2011
WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database
Published on March 3, 2011
WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents
Published on February 23, 2011
WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database
Published on February 8, 2011
WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database
Published on January 14, 2011
ODM - Patent Trademark Register
Published on January 14, 2011
RIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on January 14, 2011
WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database
Published on October 15, 2010
ITPD - International Trademarks & Patents Database
Published on October 11, 2010
WPTI - World Patent and Trademark Index
Published on October 4, 2010
WOIP - Globex World Organisation Intellectual Property
Published on September 28, 2010
WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database
Published on September 13, 2010
RIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on September 13, 2010
RIPT - Registration of International Patent
Published on August 2, 2010
WBIP - World Bureau for Intellectual Property
Published on May 21, 2010
IPTD- International Patents and Trademarks Database
Published on March 2, 2010
IBIP - International Bureau for Intellectual Property
Published on February 3, 2010
WBIP - World Bureau for Intellectual Property
Published on January 8, 2010
WBIP - World Bureau for Intellectual Property
Published on November 11, 2009
IOPTS - International Organization for Patent & Trademark Service
Published on August 11, 2009
IRTP - International Register for Trademark & Patent
Published on May 7, 2009
IBFTPR Service - Register of International Patent Application
Published on May 4,2009
ODM - Patent Trademark Register
Published on March 23, 2009
IPTR - International Patent and Trademark Register
Published on December 19, 2008
IBIP - International Bureau for Intellectual Property
Published on December 10, 2008
RIPT - Register of International Patents and Trademarks
Published on August 21, 2008
IBIP - International Bureau for Intellectual Property
Published on April 15, 2008
ODM - Patent Trademark Register
Published on February 20, 2008
IBFTPR - International Bureau for Federated Trademark & Patent Register
Published on November 21,2007
IOIP - International Organization for Intellectual Property
Published on August 10, 2007
ODM - Register of International Patents
Published on August 2, 2007
ODM - Office Data Management
Published on May 31, 2007
IOPTS - International Organization for Patent & Trademark Service
Published on May 31, 2007
FIPTR - Federated Institute for Patent and Trademark Registry Inc.
Published on January 9, 2007
CPTD - Central Patent & Trademark Database
Published on September 22, 2006
Commercial Center for Industrie and Trade
Published on March 13, 2006
CPD - Central Patent Database
Published on June 22, 2005
Register of International Patents
Published on June 28, 2004
Register of International Patent Bulletin/Registre des données bulletin européen des brevetes
Published on September 5, 2003
Institut of Commerce for Industry, Trade, Commerce/Wirtschaftsinstitut für Industrie, Handel, Handwerk AG
Published on September 5, 2003
Central Data-Register of International Patents
Published on August 9, 2002
Invitation not listed here? E-mail us a copy
Mitigating this unscrupulous practice
- WIPO invites its customers to use and adapt this standard text to notify applicants and inventors about such fee requests.
- Circular letter addressed to all PCT Contracting States and Regional Organizations.
How to make a complaint?
WIPO works closely with its member States with the goal of putting an end to this practice, and has assembled the following list of government authorities and consumer protection associations which assist applicants in enforcing local laws against the purveyors of these invoices. Complaints can be filed through the websites listed in the various countries.
Filing a complaint enables investigations to begin, which may in turn result in legal action against these entities. To facilitate the making of a complaint, you may consider using the following sentence:
“I request that these unsolicited invoices be investigated and any corrective legal action, including civil or criminal proceedings, be taken based on a contravention of the applicable laws on unfair business practice, unfair competition and general criminal law.”
A scanned copy of the invoice received, plus any further evidence, should also be attached. In the past, WIPO has provided expert testimony at trial, describing the harm caused by this practice and the lack of value of the services provided, and is willing to continue to support applicants in this way.
Successful legal actions
WIPO works closely with its member States with the goal of putting an end to this practice, and has assembled the following list of judgments against certain entities.
Envelopes
PCT applicants and agents have informed the International Bureau that some of these requests to pay fees are being sent in envelopes which appear to bear the WIPO/OMPI logo and the address of the organization. Please carefully review all such requests. The services which are being offered in these invitations do not come from WIPO.
Payment
The invitations typically refer to a payment, which is to be made in euro or US dollars, by cheque and/or money transfer to addresses in:
- AT: Austria; CH: Switzerland; CY: Cyprus; CZ: Czechia; CN(HK): Hong Kong; DE: Germany; DK: Denmark; ES: Spain; GB: United Kingdom; IS: Iceland; PL: Poland; SK: Slovakia; US: United States of America
Other industrial property Offices have made similar warnings
- AT: Austrian Patent Office (in German)
- AU: Australian Patent Office
- CA: Canadian Intellectual Property Office
- CH: Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
- CZ: Industrial Property Office of the Czech Republic
- DE: German Patent and Trade Mark Office (in German)
- DK: Danish Patent and Trademark Office (in Danish)
- EM: European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)
- EP: European Patent Office
- ES: Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (in Spanish)
- FR: National Institute of Industrial Property (France)
- GB: United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office
- HU: Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO)
- IE: Intellectual Property Office of Ireland
- IL: Israel Patent Office (in Hebrew)
- IT: Italian Patent and Trademark Office (in Italian)
- JP: Japan Patent Office (in Japanese)
- KR: Korean Intellectual Property Office (in Korean)
- NZ: Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ)
- SK: Industrial Property Office (Slovakia)
- US: United States Patent and Trademark Office
The sending of these notices appears to not be restricted to the patent context; within WIPO, the administration of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks has placed a general warning on its website in relation to such invitations to pay fees.