At a glance
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Treat unsolicited communications with caution -
Check with us before paying money or sharing personal information -
Contact your bank if you believe you have been scammed
How IP scams work
Scammers send fraudulent correspondence about trade marks and other IP rights to pressure business owners and rights holders into paying unnecessary fees or sharing personal information.
They also run impersonation scams targeting registered IP attorneys, using their name, image and contact details on fake websites and notices to appear legitimate.
If you've received a notice, invoice, email, text message or phone call about your IP and you're not sure it is genuine:
- Stop – pause before you respond, pay or share any personal information
- Check – verify the details independently using official sources before taking any action
- Protect – report the scam and take steps to limit any further impact, including monitoring your online presence if your details have been used without your permission.
Find out what to do if you've been scammed.
Check if the correspondence is genuine
Scammers create urgency so you pay before you think. Take a moment – a genuine deadline will still be there after you have checked it.
Follow these steps before you respond or pay:
- Use trusted contact details. Do not visit links or use phone numbers or email addresses from the correspondence. Find contact details yourself from official sources.
- Check the status of your IP right. Log in to IP Australia's Online Services or search the public registers, such as Australian Trade Mark Search and AusPat. If the correspondence does not match what is recorded against your IP right, treat it as suspicious.
- Check if a business is genuine.
- Use the ASIC Organisations and Business Names search and Australian Business Register ABN lookup to confirm the business is registered.
- Confirm if the business is on the list of entities known to send unofficial invoices.
- Check the sender's website and email address. Our official website is www.ipaustralia.gov.au and our emails always end in gov.au. The website ipaustralia.com.au is not affiliated with us.
- Check any attorney named in the notice. Use the Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Register to confirm the attorney is registered and their contact details match the register.
- Check you are paying money to IP Australia. We accept payment through Online Services or via these methods.
- Check the renewal amount is correct. Log in to Online Services, access our fee information on our website or contact us.
- Check the services being charged. Confirm the services being charged for are legitimate by accessing our fee information on our website or contacting us.
If you're still unsure, seek help from an IP professional before taking any action.
Recognising common scams
Common IP scams often include one or more of these warning signs:
- urgent deadlines or threats of legal action if you do not pay quickly
- claims that another party is about to register your trade mark, business name or domain name
- websites, emails, phone calls or branding that imitate or falsely claim to be associated with IP Australia, another government body or an official organisation
- websites or notices that impersonate IP attorneys or legal professionals, including firms whose contact details cannot be verified on the Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Register
- suspicious links or attachments claiming to show details of an infringement or account problem
- unsolicited offers for logo design, website design or trade mark registration services, often using false infringement claims or urgent warnings to pressure you into paying for services you may not need
- unofficial invoices, correspondence and registers designed to look like they come from IP Australia or another legitimate government agency.
Learn about examples of known scams.
Not all overseas correspondence is a scam
You may receive unsolicited correspondence from overseas law firms offering to oppose a trade mark application on your behalf for a fee.
This may be a legitimate service. However, you may wish to obtain independent advice from an IP professional before considering taking action in a foreign country. An Australian IP lawyer or attorney is often a good place to start.
What to do if you have been scammed
If you have been scammed, here are some steps you can take:
- contact your bank immediately if you have made a payment
- visit Scamwatch for guidance on reporting the scam and finding support
- contact us to report the scam
- contact IDCARE if your personal information has been compromised
- report it to ReportCyber if it involved a fake website or phishing email.
Examples of known scams
You can view real examples of fraudulent material reported to IP Australia:
