Warning against unreliable service providers and invoice fraud

Unreliable service providers are companies that do not act responsibly when offering advisory or administrative services related to trademarks, patents, and designs. These providers may send misleading offers, propose services that have not been agreed upon, or deliver poor advice and inadequate follow-up.

Before entering into an agreement, you should always check the provider carefully. Look for:

• Clear agreements and transparent information about prices and services
• A company that is reputable, easy to contact, and has verifiable public references
• Offers that can be compared with those from established providers

Below is a list of providers the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO) has received complaints about:

• GCS Europe / Global Corporate Services
• Norsk Patentkontor AS
• Trademack Ltd.

There is a business connection between these companies.

Many people confuse these invoices with legitimate payment requests for the registration of patent applications or for the registration or renewal of trademarks.

These invoices are not related to any official payment for rights in Norway or elsewhere. Only the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO) and, if applicable, your authorized representative, can request payment for these services.

Information about trademarks, patents and designs is publicly available. As a result, databases from patent offices worldwide can be used to gather background information, which may then be misused to create fake or misleading invoices.

Below is a list of some companies that have issued false or misleading invoices or offers for directory listings, specifically targeting trademark and patent rights holders.

The list is presented in chronological order, based on when we received information about each company (the most recently received information appears first).

• OMPS Trademark Publication
• TMP - Register TMP (EU)
• VPS - Trademark Publication (Germany)
• WPS - Trademark Publication (Germany)
• EUIPP - Europe IP Protection
• EPTP - European Patent & Trademark Protection
• TPS - Trademark Publications
• Worldwide Trademarks
• Intellectual Property Trademark Organization
• EU Brand Protection
• European Intellectual Property Services (Brno, Tsjekkia)
• WTPR - World Trademark and Patent Register (Sofia, Bulgaria)
• European Agency Intellectual Property EAIP (Bulgaria)
• IP-Organisation - Intellectual Property (Warsaw, Polen)
• Levin Nyman Partners (Stockholm, Sverige). Svartelistet av Svensk Handel.
• WIPTO - World International Patent and Trademark Observer (Warsaw, Polen)
• IPS - Intellectual Property Services (Brno, Tsjekkia)
• TRE Service - Registration of the Trademark (Sofia, Bulgaria)
• WIPOT - Trademark Protection (Beograd, Serbia)
• WOIP - World Organization Intellectual Property Kft. (Ungarn)
• WPTR - World Patent and Trademark Register (Tsjekkia)
• WTP Warsaw (Polen)
• WTP - register Trademark Publication (Polen/Litauen)
• IPTR - International Patent and Trademark Register (Tsjekkia)
• IPATD - International Patent and Trademark DIrectory
• Brand Registration Office (Tyskland)
• IOIP - International Organisation Intellectual Property (Ungarn)
• ITR Register / ITR Service (London og Polen)
• World Patent & Trademark Service (Tsjekkia)
• TM-Edition - International Catalogue of Trademarks (Ungarn)
• Glopat (Bratislava)
• World Organization for Trademarks (WOTRA), Ungarn
• World Organization for Trademarks (OTRA), Ungarn
• International Trademark Publication Register (TPR) (Warszawa, Polen)
• International Trademark Register (ITR) (Skarżysko-Kamienna, Polen)
• IP save (Tsjekkia)
• European Trademark and Patent Publications (TPP) (Korzalin, Polen)
• European Trademark Register (Zorawina, Polen)
• European Trademark Publication (ETP) (Bratislava)
• Patent and Trademark Institute (Sveits)
• WPTS - World Patent & Trademark Service (Tsjekkia)
• RPT Servis (Slovakia)
• IPTO: International Patent and Trademark Organization (Tsjekkia)
• Patent & Trademark Agency Ltd (Nederland)
• Merke- og patentservice
• Varemerke-organisasjonen AS
• Varemerke Byrå 
• International Patent and Trademark Service (Polen)
• World Intelligent Property Office
• European Trademark Publication Register (TPR) (Bratislava)
• Nordic Domain Hosting (Sverige) eller Nordic Hotel Hosting (Sverige)
• Bolerino AB (Sverige): Mykje tyder på at dette er Nordic Domain Hosting (NDH Sweden AB) i ny forkledning (se over)
• Professional Web Solutions Ltd – Asia Domain Name Registration (PWDNR) (Kina)
• Trademark Selection Inc. (Sveits)
• TM Worldwide BT, Ungarn
• TM Collection Ltd
• Gaia Almanach Ltd
• Gaia Almanach Ltd (Ungarn)
• The Marks KFT
• International Catalogue of Trademarks
• STR – Suomen Tavaramerkkirekisteröinti Oy (Finland)
• W.O.I.P. (Storbritannia)
• TM Selection GmbH
• WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents
• IP Data - Register of the International Patents (Tsjekkisk republikk)
• IP Data - Register of the International Trademark (Tsjekkisk republikk og Slovakia)
• World Intellectual Property Publishers (WIPP) (USA)
• UPTS - Registration of the International Patent (Tsjekkisk republikk og Slovakia)
• WIPT - Registration of International Patent (Slovakia)

See examples on WIPO’s website:

Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO)

We collect fees for patents, designs and trademarks. Applications for and registrations of such rights with effect in Norway can only be processed through NIPO.

European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)

When registering an EU trademark, you pay fees directly to EUIPO. You can read more about false claims on EUIPO’s website:

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

WIPO has published an overview of companies behind such fake offers. You can also find more information about the issue on WIPO’s website:

European Patent Office (EPO)

EPO has published a warning about false claims on its website:

Our customer service center can help you assess whether it may be a scam.