WTP Publication "Invoice"

I got an invoice in the mail from something called the World Trademark Publication service. Looks really official, right? It has my client's USPTO application filing date, application serial number, the classifications of goods and services, the "National classes" -- not really sure what that is-- and the trademark (redacted here).

And then it has a "Publication fee" -- $1,420. My clients get these all the time. I was a little surprised that the WTP sent it to me as attorney of record rather than to the client directly. But just so that you know, this is not legit. It's a total trademark scam, there is no World Trademark Publication. There is a step in the trademark process where your application gets published for opposition, BUT, there is no additional fee to do that. There is never any additional fee after you apply for a trademark with the USPTO, other than the fees for a Statement of Use or if you're requesting to divide an application into two separate applications, or in some other very specific, very complicated situations, such as receipt of an Office Action where the USPTO Examining Attorney requires the division of goods and services into two classes. This $1420 invoice is gonna go right where it belongs -- into the shredder. If you get this invoice from the World Trademark Publication, DON'T PAY IT!!