Registering your trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an important step to protect your company’s brand name, logo, and other intellectual property.
However, business owners need to be aware of sketchy companies that pose as legitimate trademark registration services in order to scam money out of unsuspecting customers. One such company that has exhibited numerous red flags is Trademark Swift.
In this honest review, we’ll take an in-depth look at trademarkswift.com, analyze any potential red flags, and ultimately determine if this site can be trusted or not.
What is Trademark Swift?
Trademark Swift bills itself as an affordable legal service that can handle trademark registration filings with the USPTO on behalf of clients. Its website at trademarkswift.com claims to offer various packages for registering trademarks, copyrights, and patents.
However, there are many signs indicating that Trademark Swift is not what it claims to be. The website itself displays stock images, questionable customer testimonials, and very sparse concrete information about who actually runs the company.
Trademark Swift states it is “not a law firm”, yet its contact points have names like “Kevin Parker” and “Steven Gebelin”, implying they are attorneys. Searches uncover no proof these are real people, let alone legal professionals.
A quick online search reveals no evidence that a real law firm or attorney is associated with Trademark Swift. The company’s listed business address in Los Angeles appears to be a virtual office space with no real operations.
Questionable Sales Tactics
So how does Trademark Swift lure in customers?
The company relies heavily on direct email solicitations to business owners. These emails are made to look extremely urgent and official, often claiming:
- Their “legal team” has discovered someone is trying to register the recipient’s business name or trademark
- Immediate action is required or the recipient risks losing their trademark rights
- Vague legal threats and quick deadlines pressure the recipient to act fast
The goal is clearly to scare business owners into buying Trademark Swift’s services. The emails frequently use Terms like “mandatory” and say it is the recipient’s “lawful obligation” to register their trademark, which is not true.
Ripoff Reports and Reviews
Looking at reviews and reports from Trademark Swift customers further confirms it is a scam operation. Here are just a few examples:
Ripoff Report: A user called Trademark Swift an “outright scam” that sent a threatening email about registering their trademark, but did nothing after taking their money.
Trustpilot: Numerous 1-star reviews mention Trademark Swift failing to begin the trademark process or disappearing after payment.
Yelp: Multiple reviews refer to Trademark Swift as a “complete scam” and waste of money.
Google Reviews: Several negative reviews state Trademark Swift did not actually file any trademark application despite taking hundreds of dollars in fees.
The pattern is clear across the internet – Trademark Swift makes big promises about trademark registration, takes payment upfront, and rarely if ever delivers any services.
Trademark Scam Warning Signs
Trademark Swift exhibits many of the warning signs of a typical trademark registration scam:
🚩 Unsolicited sales calls, texts, and emails using high-pressure sales tactics. Legitimate firms wait for you to contact them.
🚩 Vague or outright false claims about your trademark rights. Scammers pretend legal expertise they don’t have.
🚩 Requests for personal info like SSNs or bank account numbers. The USPTO never needs this info for trademarks.
🚩 Upfront fees before any work is done. Most legit firms bill only after completing services.
🚩 Lack of an official business address or attorney names attached. Check registration databases.
🚩 Too-good-to-be-true prices well below market rate. Skilled legal services aren’t cheap.
🚩 Missing or unverifiable customer reviews and testimonials on their website. Check third party review sites.
The Real Risks of Counterfeit Trademark Registration
Beyond just losing the fees paid to Trademark Swift, using fake registration services can put your business at serious risk if you think you have secured your trademark when you actually have not.
Without an authentic registration, you have very limited ability to enforce your trademark rights or prevent others from using your business name and logos. If another company does register your mark first, you may have to fully rebrand your business at great expense.
Additionally, scam companies like Trademark Swift often obtain clients’ personal information and credit card or banking details, which could lead to financial fraud and identity theft down the road.
How to Avoid Trademark Registration Scams
The appeal of fast and cheap trademark registration is understandable for cash-strapped business owners, but unfortunately, services like Trademark Swift turn out to be too good to be true.
Protect yourself from trademark scams using these tips:
✅ Search online reviews and the Better Business Bureau for complaints before engaging any registration company.
✅ Verify licenses to ensure your service provider is a real law firm and attorney licensed to practice.
✅ Ask detailed questions about their registration process, fees, and what specific services are included.
✅ Get everything in writing such as service agreements, scope of work, and fee breakdowns.
✅ Use payment methods that allow chargebacks like credit cards in case services aren’t rendered.
✅ Consult an IP attorney if you have any concerns about misleading info you’ve received about trademarks.
Alternatives to Trademark Registration Scams
The good news is there are plenty of legitimate options for registering your trademarks safely that don’t put your business at risk. Here are a few alternatives to be wary of scammers like Trademark Swift:
✅ Hire an intellectual property attorney to handle your application properly and legally represent your business before the USPTO.
✅ Use the USPTO’s TEAS system to directly file your own trademark if you want to save money handling it yourself.
✅ Work with a reputable legal services company that employs licensed attorneys and charges fair rates. Read reviews carefully.
✅ Consider marketplace services like LegalZoom that provide DIY legal documents and filings with attorney review options.
Just remember – paying more upfront for legitimate services is better than losing money and your trademark rights down the road. Do your homework to avoid legal imposters like Trademark Swift.
The Bottom Line
Trademark Swift employs deceptive sales tactics, false promises, high-pressure scare tactics, and other hallmarks of a trademark registration scam. Customers report paying hundreds in fees only to receive no services in return.
Rather than risk your hard-earned money and trademark rights with Trademark Swift, always carefully vet any company offering registration services.
Your brand identity is too valuable to leave in the hands of scammers. Investing in authentic legal protection will give you the peace of mind that your business name and logo are securely registered.
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