TL;DR: Scammers are scraping newly filed applications from the public Canadian Trademarks Database. They text and email you using your real application number and business name, impersonating a CIPO examiner to demand a fake $950 fee. Do not pay.
How the Scam Works
Within a week of filing a trademark, you get a text claiming an examiner needs "verification" to approve your application. Because your filing details are public record, they know your exact application number, address, and mark name.
If you contact them, they send an official-looking bilingual email demanding a $950 "registration fee" and direct you to a fake government payment portal.
Scam Identifiers
Originating Text Number:
819-900-1954
Callback Number:
1-613-776-1927
Spoofed Sender Name: Christopher Tortorice / Trademark Examining Officer
Fake Email Address:
(Notice the fake
.com
extension)
Fake Payment Portal:
[https://cipotrademarkbilling.com\](https://cipotrademarkbilling.com)
Subject Line:
Approval of Trademark Application – Approbation de la demande de marque…
Dead Giveaways
CIPO Never Texts: The government will never SMS you requesting a call or direct payment.
No "Registration Fees": Canada eliminated trademark final registration fees back in 2019.
Fake Domains: Real CIPO emails strictly end in @ised-isde.gc.ca
, not .comlookalikes.
Impossible Timeline: Real CIPO trademark reviews take many months, not 7 days.
What to Do
If you paid, call your card issuer's fraud department immediately to dispute the charge, cancel the card, and file a report with local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC). Forward scam emails directly to ic.contact-contact.ic@ised-isde.gc.ca
.
Source: r/Report_scams · by /u/Purple_Writing_8432