Description

Shortly after filing a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), I received a mailed solicitation letter from North American Trade Publications, NATP Register, Inc. The letter uses USPTO public filing data — including the application number, classes, and trademark — to create the false impression that payment is required as part of the USPTO process. The letter’s heading, in all caps, reads “TRADEMARK PUBLICATION” and prominently displays “Reproduction of the Trademark and Application Filing Fee” as though it is an official notice. In nearly transparent size 6–8 font, the sender reveals that the service being sold is merely a private database listing, unrelated to federal trademark registration or any USPTO process. The letter demands $1,320 for a “non-cancelable 3-year subscription,” uses invoice-style language (“Filing Fee,” “Total Filing Fee,” “Remit payment within 10 days”), and mimics government communications to pressure payment. This is a misleading solicitation that may trick Maryland residents into paying for unnecessary services and intentionally misrepresents those services as part of the official USPTO process.