UK Intellectual Property Office warns of a 165% surge in fraudulent trade mark invoice scams targeting registered trade mark holders

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has issued a public warning about a dramatic rise in fraudulent invoices targeting businesses and individuals who hold registered trade marks. The IPO reports a 165% increase in fraudulent trade mark invoices in 2026 compared to the prior year. The scam typically involves third parties sending invoices that mimic official IPO communications, applying pressure tactics and urgent payment demands to deceive recipients into paying fees that are not owed to any legitimate body. The IPO has issued guidance emphasising that genuine IPO communications will not apply pressure tactics or demand urgent payment, and that official fees are clearly listed on the government's own website. The IPO's public guidance includes three practical steps: learning to identify authentic IPO communications, verifying that any fee being charged matches the published official fee schedule on gov.uk, and being alert to pressure or urgency language as a red flag. This type of fraud exploits the fact that trade mark holders must pay renewal fees and renewal deadlines are a matter of public record, making the holder pool an identifiable and targetable group. The scam has implications for IP law practices and their clients: businesses relying on registered trade marks as core commercial assets face a reputational and financial risk if they inadvertently pay fraudulent invoices or, worse, miss genuine renewal obligations while assuming communications are scams.