On 16 May 2024, the EUIPO hosted the 9th Anti-Scam Network meeting in a hybrid format. The meeting promises to inject a new momentum into the cooperative efforts in the battle against intellectual property (IP) scams and marks a decade of efforts to safeguard IP rights owners from scams, specifically those involving fake or misleading invoices or payment requests.
Surge of email scams
A significant focus was the alarming surge of email scams witnessed last autumn, targeting users of national IP offices. These emails involved counterfeit registration certificates that mimicked the office’s name, acronym, and logo—all of which are protected as EU trademarks—and featured a forged signature of the Deputy Executive Director. In response, the EUIPO has taken decisive actions including the collaboration with EurID to swiftly suspend a series of domain names misused in these scams.
Evolution in methods used by scammers
Over the years, there has been an evolution in the methods used by scammers, resulting in unsolicited mails that dupe companies into paying for unnecessary trademark and design services like publication, registration, or entry in business directories. These scams not only pose a financial burden but also threaten the integrity of the IP system. According to Europol's analysis, approximately 2 % of IPR applicants and owners, or an estimated 8 000 victims, may be targeted by such schemes, which can generate a yearly net turnover of up to EUR 16 million for a single actor.
Further information on their initiatives and to learn more about how to protect oneself from these fraudulent schemes can be found on the misleading invoices section on the EUIPO website.