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WARNING: Requests for Payment of Fees

It has come to the attention of the International Bureau that PCT applicants and agents are receiving invitations to pay fees that do not come from the International Bureau of WIPO and are unrelated to the processing of international applications under the PCT.  Whatever registration services might be offered in such invitations, they bear no connection to WIPO or to any of its official publications.

PCT applicants and agents should note that it is the International Bureau of WIPO alone which publishes all PCT applications promptly after the expiration of 18 months from the priority date (see PCT Article 21(2)(a)); there is no separate fee for such international publication, and the legal effects of international publication are set out in PCT Article 29.

The invitations often identify a particular PCT application by its international publication number (eg: WO 02 xxxxxx), publication date, title of the invention, international application number, priority information and IPC symbols; examples of such invitations can be viewed below. 

IPWU

IPWU – Intellectual Property World Union

Published on January 9, 2023

EIPS

EIPS – European Intellectual Property Services

Published on January 11, 2022

WPTAgency

WPTD Office – World Patent & Trademark Database

Published on May 27, 2021

WPTAgency

WPTAgency – World Patent & Trademark Agency

Published on June 4, 2020

IPS

IPS – Intellectual Property Services

Published on September 10, 2019

IPTA – International Patent and Trademark Agency

WPTR – World Patent and Trademark Register

Published on November 26, 2018

IPTA – International Patent and Trademark Agency

IPTA – International Patent and Trademark Agency

Published on July 23, 2018

IPTR – Intellectual Patent and Trademark Register

IPTR – Intellectual Patent and Trademark Register

Published on February 13, 2018

IPRS – Intellectual property register services

IPRS – Intellectual property register services

Published on February 5, 2018

WPT – World Patent and Trademark Service

WPT service – World Patent and Trademark Service

Published on October 25, 2017

IRO Patent Office

IRO – The Patent Office

Published on July 28, 2017

International Trademark Monitoring Organization

ITMORG – International Trademark Monitoring Organization

Published on May 16, 2017

IP Direct

IP Direct – International Patent & Trademark Directory

Published on January 24, 2017

IRO

IRO – Intellectual Property Office

Published on November 1, 2016

IRPT

IRPT – International Register of Patents & Trademarks

Published on October 26, 2016

PATR Servis

PATR Servis – Worldwide Patent Service

Published on June 30, 2016

IPWTO

IPWTO – Intellectual Property World Trade Organization

Published on June 28, 2016

IIP

IIP – International Intellectual Property Office

Published on February 22, 2016

IPTI

IPTI – International Patents & Trademark Index

Published on February 15, 2016

WIPD

WIPD – Registration of International Patents Intellectual Property Office

Published on January 4, 2016

OPT

OPT – Organization for Patents and Trademarks

Published on December 18, 2015

WPAT

WPAT – Registration of International Patents

Published on October 14, 2015

IP Save

IP Save

Published on September 24, 2015

EPO

Patent Registration - R & W Stretch Ceilings Ltd.

Published on May 8, 2015

WPTS

WPTS - World Patent & Trademark Service

Published on April 16, 2015

WPTO

WPTO - World Patent & Trademark Organization

Published on February 20, 2015

Search Index

Search Index Registration Department - Registration of International Patent

Published on December 19, 2014

WIPO

WIPO - World Intelligent Property Office

Published on December 17, 2014

RPT

RPT Servis - World Wide Patent Service

Published on November 26, 2014

WIPP

WIPP - World Intellectual Property Publisher

Published on November 21, 2014

RIP

IP World – Registration of International Patent

Published on November 14, 2014

IPTO

IPTO - International Patent & Trademark Organization

Published on October 27, 2014

IPT

IPT Patents

Published on September 17, 2014

IPTG - International Patent and Trademark Guide

Published on August 19, 2014

WOPD

WOPD - Worldwide Online Patent Database

Published on August 6, 2014

UPTS

UPTS - Universal Patents and Trademarks Service

Published on August 1, 2014

CCIT

Commercial Center for Industry and Trade

Published on July 4, 2014

Euro IP Register

Euro IP Register

Published on July 4, 2014

WIPD

WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database

Published on July 4, 2014

WPTI

WPTI - World Patent and Trademark Index

Published on July 4, 2014

UPTS

UPTS - Universal Patents and Trademarks Service

Published on May 22, 2014

IPT

IPT PATENTS - Register of International Patents

Published on February 19, 2014

FOIP

FOIP - Federated Organization for Intellectual Property

Published on February 6, 2014

IPTS

IPTS - International Patent and Trademark Service

Published on December 10, 2013

IPTR

IPTR - International Patent and Trademark Register

Published on November 28, 2013

IP DATA

IP DATA - Register of International Patents

Published on November 12, 2013

WBIP

WBIP - World Bureau for Intellectual Property

Published on September 10, 2013

TPS

TPS - Trademark and Patent Service

Published on July 31, 2013

Novislink limited

Novislink limited

Published on July 10, 2013

REGIPAT

European Register of Brands and Patents (REGIPAT)

Published on July 1, 2013

IPTS

IPTS - International Patent and Trademark Service

Published on April 5, 2013

UPTS

UPTS - Universal Patents and Trademarks Service

Published on March 1, 2013

WIPT

WIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on January 21, 2013

WIPT

WIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on January 10, 2013

WDTP

WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents

Published on November 15, 2012

WPTI

WPTI - World Patent and Trademark Index

Published on October 2, 2012

WIPT

WIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on June 8, 2012

ODM

ODM - Patent Trademark Register

Published on March 14, 2012

RIPT

RIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on March 14, 2012

ODM

ODM - Patent Trademark Register

Published on March 13, 2012

RIPT

RIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on March 13, 2012

European Central Register of Brands and Patents

European Central Register of Brands and Patents

Published on March 2, 2012

Euro IP Register

Euro IP Register

Published on March 2, 2012

RIPT

RIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on February 7, 2012

RIPT

RIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on February 7, 2012

IOPR

IOPR - Intellectual Office Property Register

Published on January 3, 2012

Euro IP Register

Euro IP Register

Published on December 23, 2011

WDTP

WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents

Published on December 13, 2011

ODM

ODM - Patent Trademark Register

Published on December 13, 2011

RIPT

RIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on November 21, 2011

CPTD

CPTD - Central Patent & Trademark Database

Published on September 2, 2011

WDTP

WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents

Published on August 2, 2011

WDTP

WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents

Published on July 7, 2011

ODM

ODM - Patent  & Trademark Office

Published on May 2, 2011

WOIP

WOIP - Globex World Organisation Intellectual Property

Published on March 18, 2011

WOIP

WOIP - Globex World Organisation Intellectual Property

Published on March 3, 2011

WIPD

WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database

Published on March 3, 2011

WDTP

WDTP - Worldwide Database of Trademarks and Patents

Published on February 23, 2011

WIPD

WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database

Published on February 8, 2011

WIPD

WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database

Published on January 14, 2011

ODM

ODM - Patent Trademark Register

Published on January 14, 2011

RIPT

RIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on January 14, 2011

WIPD

WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database

Published on October 15, 2010

ITPD

ITPD - International Trademarks & Patents Database

Published on October 11, 2010

WPTI

WPTI - World Patent and Trademark Index

Published on October 4, 2010

WOIP

WOIP - Globex World Organisation Intellectual Property

Published on September 28, 2010

WIPD

WIPD - World Intellectual Property Database

Published on September 13, 2010

RIPT

RIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on September 13, 2010

RIPT

RIPT - Registration of International Patent

Published on August 2, 2010

WBIP

WBIP - World Bureau for Intellectual Property

Published on May 21, 2010

IPTD

IPTD- International Patents and Trademarks Database

Published on March 2, 2010

IBIP

IBIP - International Bureau for Intellectual Property

Published on February 3, 2010

WBIP

WBIP - World Bureau for Intellectual Property

Published on January 8, 2010

WBIP

WBIP - World Bureau for Intellectual Property

Published on November 11, 2009

IOPTS

IOPTS - International Organization for Patent & Trademark Service

Published on August 11, 2009

IRTP

IRTP - International Register for Trademark & Patent

Published on May 7, 2009

IBFTPR

IBFTPR Service - Register of International Patent Application

Published on May 4,2009

ODM

ODM - Patent Trademark Register

Published on March 23, 2009

IPTR

IPTR - International Patent and Trademark Register

Published on December 19, 2008

IBIP

IBIP - International Bureau for Intellectual Property

Published on December 10, 2008

RIPT

RIPT - Register of International Patents and Trademarks

Published on August 21, 2008

IBIP

IBIP - International Bureau for Intellectual Property

Published on April 15, 2008

ODM

ODM - Patent Trademark Register

Published on February 20, 2008

IBFTPR

IBFTPR - International Bureau for Federated Trademark & Patent Register

Published on November 21,2007

IOIP

IOIP - International Organization for Intellectual Property

Published on August 10, 2007

ODM

ODM - Register of International Patents

Published on August 2, 2007

ODM

ODM - Office Data Management

Published on May 31, 2007

IOPTS

IOPTS - International Organization for Patent & Trademark Service

Published on May 31, 2007

FIPTR

FIPTR - Federated Institute for Patent and Trademark Registry Inc.

Published on January 9, 2007

CPTD

CPTD - Central Patent & Trademark Database

Published on September 22, 2006

CCIT

Commercial Center for Industrie and Trade

Published on March 13, 2006

CPD

CPD - Central Patent Database

Published on June 22, 2005

Register of International Patents

Register of International Patents

Published on June 28, 2004

Register of International Patent Bulletin

Register of International Patent Bulletin/Registre des données bulletin européen des brevetes

Published on September 5, 2003

Institut of Commerce for Industry, Trade, Commerce

Institut of Commerce for Industry, Trade, Commerce/Wirtschaftsinstitut für Industrie, Handel, Handwerk AG

Published on September 5, 2003

WIPD

Central Data-Register of International Patents

Published on August 9, 2002

Invitation not listed here? E-mail us a copy

Mitigating this unscrupulous practice

  • WIPO invites its customers to use and adapt this standard text to notify applicants and inventors about such fee requests. WORD
  • Circular letter addressed to all PCT Contracting States and Regional Organizations. PDF

How to make a complaint? 

WIPO works closely with its member States with the goal of putting an end to this practice, and has assembled the following list of government authorities and consumer protection associations which assist applicants in enforcing local laws against the purveyors of these invoices. Complaints can be filed through the websites listed in the various countries.

Filing a complaint enables investigations to begin, which may in turn result in legal action against these entities. To facilitate the making of a complaint, you may consider using the following sentence:

“I request that these unsolicited invoices be investigated and any corrective legal action, including civil or criminal proceedings, be taken based on a contravention of the applicable laws on unfair business practice, unfair competition and general criminal law.”

A scanned copy of the invoice received, plus any further evidence, should also be attached. In the past, WIPO has provided expert testimony at trial, describing the harm caused by this practice and the lack of value of the services provided, and is willing to continue to support applicants in this way.

Successful legal actions 

WIPO works closely with its member States with the goal of putting an end to this practice, and has assembled the following list of judgments against certain entities.

Envelopes

PCT applicants and agents have informed the International Bureau that some of these requests to pay fees are being sent in envelopes which appear to bear the WIPO/OMPI logo and the address of the organization. Please carefully review all such requests. The services which are being offered in these invitations do not come from WIPO. 

Payment

The invitations typically refer to a payment, which is to be made in euro or US dollars, by cheque and/or money transfer to addresses in:

  • AT:  Austria;  CH:  Switzerland;  CY:  Cyprus;  CZ:  Czechia;  CN(HK): Hong Kong;  DE: Germany;  DK: Denmark;  ES:  Spain;  GB:  United Kingdom;  IS:  Iceland;  PL:  Poland;  SK:  Slovakia;  US: United States of America

Other industrial property Offices have made similar warnings

The sending of these notices appears to not be restricted to the patent context; within WIPO, the administration of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks has placed a general warning on its website in relation to such invitations to pay fees.