Warning - beware of approaches and requests for payment from firms purporting to publish and/or register European or international patent applications and European patents

Source: EPO

1. Numerous European patent applicants and proprietors have informed the European Patent Office (EPO) that firms and individuals have sent them invoices inviting them to pay for the publication and/or registration of their applications and patents. Similar reports have been received from applicants who filed international applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT applications).

2. These firms and individuals use names, abbreviations and/or logos designed to make it appear that the invoice has been issued by an official source. In some cases, they use ones bearing a confusing similarity to those of the EPO or WIPO in an attempt to give the impression that they are acting on those organisations' behalf.

3. Examples of invoices received in relation to European patent applications and patents can be found on the EPO website at: www.epo.org/warning.html.

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