A Minnesota-focused guide from Twin Cities Trademarks | Trademark Lawyers | St. Paul, MN | Minneapolis, MN and the Twin Cities
Updated October 2026 | Reviewed for Minnesota businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups
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Quick Takeaway
If you receive an email from Teas@tsdrlawoffice.com, it is a trademark scam. The USPTO never sends messages from non‑@uspto.gov domains, never requires “verification calls,” and never demands payment by email or phone. These scammers use publicly available TSDR data to impersonate USPTO attorneys and pressure Minnesota business owners into paying fake fees or sharing sensitive information. Delete the message and contact a licensed trademark attorney immediately.
Why This Matters for Minneapolis–St. Paul Businesses
The Twin Cities is one of the most competitive branding markets in the Midwest. With dense metro overlap, active e‑commerce sellers, and thousands of new LLC filings each year, scammers know Minnesota entrepreneurs are prime targets. Twin Cities Trademarks PLLC regularly sees clients receive fraudulent notices within days of filing a trademark or forming an LLC.
These scams are becoming more sophisticated — and more dangerous.
1. What the Scam Looks Like
Emails from Teas@tsdrlawoffice.com typically claim:
- Your trademark is “ready for verification, attestation, and endorsement.”
- You must schedule a mandatory verification call with an “examining attorney.”
- Failure to respond will result in abandonment of your trademark.
- You must submit product photos or pay additional fees.
- The sender may impersonate a real USPTO attorney whose name appears in your file.
Every one of these claims is false.
2. Why the Email Looks “Official”
Scammers pull real information from the USPTO’s public TSDR database:
- Serial number
- Owner name
- Filing date
- Attorney of record
This makes the email feel legitimate — but the USPTO has confirmed these messages are fraudulent.
3. Red Flags to Watch For
- Non‑USPTO domain: Anything not ending in @uspto.gov is fake.
- Phone‑call requirements: USPTO does not conduct trademark examination by phone.
- Threats of immediate abandonment: Real deadlines are written and allow months to respond.
- Requests for payment: USPTO fees are paid only through official TEAS forms.
- References to Secretary of State filings: Irrelevant to federal trademark registration.
- Poor grammar or formatting: A common hallmark of scam operations.
4. What the Real USPTO Actually Does
The USPTO communicates only in writing through:
- Office Actions
- Filing receipts
- Notices of publication
- Registration certificates
They never:
- Call applicants
- Ask for product photos
- Request payment by phone
- Use third‑party domains
- Schedule “verification appointments”
5. Minnesota‑Specific Risk Factors
Twin Cities businesses are targeted more frequently because:
- The metro has dense brand overlap, increasing trademark activity.
- Minnesota LLC filings are public and easy for scammers to scrape.
- Local businesses often operate across multiple suburbs, making brand confusion more likely.
- Many Minnesota entrepreneurs file trademarks without legal counsel, making them vulnerable.
If your business is in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Bloomington, or any surrounding suburb, you are in a high‑risk zone for trademark impersonation scams.
6. What To Do If You Received One
- Do not respond.
- Do not call the number.
- Do not send product photos or payment.
- Forward the email to TMScams@uspto.gov.
- Contact Twin Cities Trademarks PLLC to confirm whether any real USPTO deadlines exist.
- If you paid money, immediately contact your bank to dispute the charge.
7. FAQ
a. Is Teas@tsdrlawoffice.com a real USPTO address? No. It is 100% fraudulent.
b. Will my trademark be abandoned if I ignore the email? No. Only written USPTO Office Actions create deadlines.
c. Can scammers really access my trademark information? Yes — but only the public data. Your application is not compromised.
d. Should I block the sender? Yes. Even replying “stop” confirms your email is active.
Protect Your Minnesota Brand
Twin Cities Trademarks PLLC helps Minneapolis–St. Paul entrepreneurs secure, defend, and monitor their trademarks — and avoid scams like this one. For more information regarding Federal Trademark Application Scams, you can click to the following Twin Cities Trademarks link: https://twincitiestrademarks.com/trademark-scams-minnesota
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Legal Disclaimer: This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this content does not create an attorney-client relationship. IP law is highly fact-specific — contact a licensed Twin Cities Trademark Attorney to discuss your particular situation. Twin Cities Trademarks is a registered trademark law firm.
Twin Cities Trademarks| Trademark Lawyer & Product Branding Lawyer | Minneapolis, MN | St. Paul, MN
Twin Cities Trademarks is a Minnesota Trademark law firm and Minnesota Product Branding law firm providing trademark legal services to inventors, entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses in Minneapolis, St. Paul, the Twin Cities metro area, and throughout greater Minnesota and Wisconsin.