Stellar Trademark is the latest scam targeting business owners with fake threats of trademark infringement. Scammers pretend to be from a legal firm and send unsolicited emails claiming someone intends to register your business name or trademark. They use high-pressure tactics to get money for unnecessary services. Read on to learn all about how the Stellar Trademark scam works, red flags to watch for, what to do if you receive one of these scam emails, and how to avoid trademark scams in general.
Overview of the Stellar Trademark Scam
Stellar Trademark presents itself as a legal firm that provides various trademark and copyright services. However, its elaborate website acts as a facade to run an ongoing scam targeting business owners across the country.
The scam starts with an official-looking email signed by someone claiming to be an Intellectual Property Attorney from Stellar Trademark. The email informs recipients that their business name, trademark, or slogan is not registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and that someone intends to file an application to register it.
This creates a false sense of urgency, pressuring recipients to take immediate action. Stellar Trademark offers to provide their services, such as filing for a trademark or monitoring existing marks, for substantial fees. They use more high-pressure tactics to get recipients to pay up.
However, Stellar Trademark does not actually provide these services legitimately or ethically. They do not file proper trademark registrations or follow lawful processes. They simply abscond with people’s money, shut down their website, and disappear without assisting clients.
Below we dive into details on exactly how the various stages of the Stellar Trademark scam unfold.
How the Stellar Trademark Scam Works
The Stellar Trademark scam is orchestrated in several key stages:
Stage 1: Unsolicited Emails Set the Trap
The first step is sending unsolicited emails to business owners essentially saying their company name or trademark is at risk. Emails appear to come from an individual named Brian Williams representing Stellar Trademark.
The emails are well-written and professional-sounding. Often, signature lines identify the sender as an “Intellectual Property Attorney” to give the impression the communication is from a law firm.
Stage 2: False Sense of Urgency Pressures Recipients
The content of emails creates a false sense of urgency by claiming that Stellar Trademark has discovered someone intends to file an application to register your trademark or business name with the USPTO.
Of course, the chances random people are trying to register others’ established business trademarks are extremely slim. But this threat pressures recipients to take protective actions.
Stage 3: Services Offered to “Help” Solve the Issue
After setting up a scary situation, the scam email goes on to market Stellar Trademark’s services as solutions. Services offered include:
- Trademark registration
- Trademark monitoring
- Copyright registration
- Other unnecessary intellectual property services
Stage 4: High Pressure Tactics Push Recipients to Pay
If recipients respond to the initial scam email, Stellar Trademark salespeople use more high-pressure tactics to push them to pay high fees for services.
They emphasize the dangers of not registering trademarks and make inflated claims about the values of their offerings. This scares recipients into believing paying these fees is essential to protecting their business names and marks.
Stage 5: Services Never Materialize After Payment
Once recipients pay up, the scam is complete. Stellar Trademark simply disappears with their money.
They never file trademarks with the USPTO or provide any long-term monitoring, protection, or other services. Any “evidence” they send claiming trademarks were filed is fake.
Often the company shuts down their website shortly after taking peoples’ money. They become impossible to reach, having already absconded with funds.
Red Flags: Signs of the Stellar Trademark Scam
There are several indicators to recognize that an offer from Stellar Trademark is a scam attempt rather than a legitimate business opportunity:
- You Receive an Unsolicited Email: Emails from Stellar Trademark come out of the blue, without recipients ever contacting them or opting into communications. This is a huge red flag.
- Threatening Content Warning You’re at Risk: Beware emails that claim your business trademark is in jeopardy or fres to register your name instead. This creates a false urgency intended to trick targets.
- Misleading Legal Credentials: Brian Williams and other Stellar Trademark representatives falsely claim to be Intellectual Property Attorneys. This manipulates recipients into believing the offers come from licensed legal professionals when they do not.
- High Pressure Sales Tactics: Any company pushing you to pay significant fees quickly without ample time to evaluate services should raise alarms. High-pressure tactics are meant to distract from potential scams.
- Requests for Upfront Fees Before Services: Stellar Trademark asks for upfront fees but never intends to follow through on services they claim fees cover. Paying anything before trademarks are successfully filed or monitoring in place enables their scam.
- Lack of Written Contracts or Agreements: Ethical vendors always provide clear contracts detailing what fees cover before taking payments. The lack of any paperwork is a warning sign.
What to Do if You Receive a Stellar Trademark Scam Email
If you receive a suspicious trademark registration email:
- Do Not Respond: Do not reply to or open any attachments from unexpected trademark emails. This confirms an active target to scammers.
- Search Online for Reviews: Search “[company name] + reviews” to find other reports of scams. Or search if the USPTO has labeled the provider as fraudulent.
- Check USPTO Registration Databases: You can search the USPTO’s TSDR database yourself to see if any requests are pending related to your trademarks. This public database shows real-time registration activity and details.
- Consult a Trademark Attorney: Connect with a licensed trademark attorney to understand actual registration needs and realistic costs. Compare any solicitations to these legitimate expert recommendations.
- Report Scams: File complaints regarding potential scams with organizations like the USPTO, ICANN, FTC, and BBB to prevent further victims.
- Mark as Spam: Lastly, mark suspicious emails as spam. Adding email addresses to spam lists helps filter future scam attempts.
What to Do If You Already Paid Stellar Trademark
If you fell victim to the scam and already paid Stellar Trademark:
- Call Your Bank: Contact your bank and any credit card companies immediately and dispute the charges as fraudulent. Ask them to reverse any payments released to Stellar Trademark.
- File Police Reports: Your local police department and the FBI both investigate internet crimes and financial scams. File reports detailing your experience with Stellar Trademark.
- Report Issues to Authorities: Report the scam to the USPTO, ICANN, FTC, BBB, and cybercrime organizations in your area so they can open investigations into Stellar Trademark as well.
- Change Passwords: If you provided the scammers any login details for banking or vendor accounts, change your passwords as soon as possible.
- Warn Others: Post warnings about Stellar Trademark scams on business review sites and social channels. This helps prevent additional victims.
How to Avoid Trademark Scams
Use extreme caution regarding any trademark registration or protection offers, especially those:
- Received via unsolicited communication
- Threatening legal action if you don’t pay fees
- Requesting payment upfront before service delivery
- Lacking detailed contracts on services provided
Work solely with verified trademark attorneys found via trustworthy referrals or resources like state bar associations. Evaluate representatives carefully before sharing personal information or paying fees.
Never provide payment or sign contracts allowing work before fully vetting vendors’ legitimacy. Search “[company name] reviews” online to check for scam reports. And leverage USPTO databases to directly research trademark registration statuses.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Stellar Trademark Scam
Wondering if you should trust offers from Stellar Trademark for trademark services? Concerned about those threatening emails? Read below for answers to the most common questions surrounding this elaborate scam.
What Exactly is Stellar Trademark and What Do They Do?
Stellar Trademark falsely promotes legal services related to trademarks, copyrights, and intellectual property. However, their official-looking website acts only as a cover for orchestrating an ongoing scam stealing money from small business owners.
They send fake warnings about trademarks being stolen to trick targets into paying for useless and non-existent monitoring or registration assistance.
Who is Behind the Stellar Trademark Scam Emails and Threats?
Emails come from a person calling themselves Brian Williams, claiming to work for Stellar Trademark as an Intellectual Property Attorney. However, no one named Brian Williams is actually a licensed attorney affiliated with this company.
These are fake names and credentials used to make legal threats sound more credible so recipients pay up faster.
Why Do I Keep Getting Emails from Stellar Trademark About My Business Name?
Stellar Trademark sends mass emails to business owners essentially saying their name or trademark is at risk of being stolen and registered by someone else. These threats convince targets they urgently need to pay Stellar Trademark to protect their intellectual property.
In reality, their claims are fabricated solely to scam money from as many small business owners as possible.
Is Stellar Trademark Legitimate or a Scam?
While Stellar Trademark’s elaborate website and official-seeming emails make them appear credible, they have all the hallmarks of a classic scam. Legal authorities have confirmed they steal money and use deception, making them neither legitimate nor ethical.
What Does Stellar Trademark Do with My Money if I Pay Their Fees?
Stellar Trademark provides no actual services to earn fees they pressure people to pay. They do not perform monitoring, submit trademark registrations, assist with copyrights, or anything else promised.
As soon as possible after receiving payment, they disappear completely with victims’ money. They shut down websites, abandon listed addresses, and cease all communication.
How Can I Get My Money Back if I Already Paid Fees to Stellar Trademark?
If you paid fees to Stellar Trademark via credit card or through a bank account, immediately call those institutions to report fraudulent charges. Ask them to reverse any recent payments sent to Stellar Trademark so you can recover lost money.
Is There Anything I Can Do to Stop Stellar Trademark From Targeting My Business?
There are several smart steps to take if Stellar Trademark contacts you: ignore their messages rather than responding, report them to the FTC and ICANN, add their addresses to spam filters, post warnings about them online to help protect other businesses, and consult real trademark lawyers to address any actual registration needs.
What Steps Can I Take to Avoid Trademark Scams in the Future?
Be skeptical of any offers spontaneously arriving via email asking you to pay urgent fees related to trademarks. Vet any companies carefully before paying or providing personal information. Search “[company name] reviews” to check for scam reports and confirm legitimate services.
Only work with verified lawyers found via state bar associations and trusted referrals. And leverage free USPTO databases to directly research trademarks before believing threats require you pay unnecessary registration or monitoring costs.
The Bottom Line
The Stellar Trademark scam uses deceit and manipulation to steal money from business owners through exaggerated trademark threats and false promises.
Always exercise skepticism regarding trademark help offers requiring upfront payments. Verify purported lawyers’ licenses, research companies independently, and check USPTO records yourself for free to avoid being tricked. Report any potential scams to help prevent still more victims.
