The leader of one of the most notorious trademark scams in recent years has been sentenced to 8 years in prison for sending out thousands of solicitations designed to confuse recipients into thinking they were official government documents. Artashes Darbinyan, a Glendale resident, defrauded unsuspecting trademark applicant’s out of at least $1.6 million dollars for “trademark monitoring services” that were never rendered. Sadly, this practice is not uncommon. Because trademark applications are so readily accessible online, there are numerous companies, which “troll” the trademark applications database and send solicitation letters for services related to trademarks. These letters should be taken as advertisements and it is not recommended that you use their services. However, because they are designed to look as though they are from the USPTO, many recipients are tricked into thinking they have no choice but to remit payment. Hopefully, this verdict will send a message to those seeking to defraud unwitting applicants, and put an end to an unscrupulous practice that has gone unchecked for too long. #omnilegalgroup #trademarklaw #fraud
