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Secretary of Commerce: Senator Gregg-Trademarks Too!
© Cheryl Hodgson 2009 | Posted on February 3, 2009
Republican Senator Judd Gregg’s nomination is generating ink. So let’s talk about ISSUES confronting the Commerce Dept. The Commissioner of Patents & Trademarks (part of the Commerce Department ) is charged with protecting the consumer from fraud and deception. Hundreds of legal examiners sift through thousands of Trademark FIlings in order to determine “likelihood of confusion” and pronounce what terms can be registered to promote millions of goods and services in U.S. Commerce. Yet, when it comes to preventing consumers from billings from Commerce Department Pretenders, no real action has been taken.
The Patent & Trademark Office is a well run organization ( in comparison to the disaster and current anti author political slant of the U.S. Copyright Office). However, the Trademark Office has failed to remedy an ongoing consumer fraud and deception scheme about which I and other professionals have complained for over years, with no response. [Consumers Beware of Scam Sollicitations]
Trademark applicants are deluged with phony “billings” and invoices from companies pretending to be some “official” arm of some mysterious non existent government agency. Many clients pay these invoices, or narrowly avoid them by speaking with counsel first. Unrepresented applicants pay these billings for no good reason.
Reputable watch and renewal services do exist. They just don’t send deceptive solicitations pretending to be the Trademark Office. No matter who the new Commissioner, it is time the Commerce Department take legal action to stop these crooks. After all, it’s what we pay them for.
Technorati Tags: cabinet appointment, Commissioner of Patents, Consumer Fraud, deception of public, Internet, Legal, Secretary of Commerce, solicitations, Trademarks
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