UKIPO Take Action Against Misleading Invoices
9 July 2014, Leanne Robinson
The UKIPO have now taken a stand, and filed a claim for passing off at the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court against the companies who are trading as ‘Patent and Trade Mark Office and Patent and Trade Mark Organisation’.
These organisations have been targeting owners of registered rights such as patents and trade marks, issuing them with official looking notices to pay renewals or register their rights in a private register or directory at highly inflated prices. Even the UKIPO have been targeted.
In response to this the UKIPO stated that ‘it was necessary to take appropriate action given the evidence that their customers are being misled or confused and that damage is being caused to the office’s good name’.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has also taken action in relation to companies who issue misleading invoices and have ruled against three companies. Details of which can be found here.
If you are in any doubt as to the derivation of any offer or request for payment in connection with your IP rights, please contact us and we will be happy to advise you further.
