Fresh warning about misleading invoices

11th Aug 2026

Companies House and the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) are working together to warn against scam letters and unsolicited invoices.

Invoice
© iStock/donald_gruener

Companies House and the UK IPO, both executive agencies of the UK government, are urging businesses to stay alert to misleading payment requests.

Receiving misleading invoices from unregulated practitioners has been a longstanding issue for owners of registered intellectual property rights. All businesses should remain vigilant to any unexpected invoices requesting payment.

We know that our members' clients are regularly targeted by these scams, so we're pleased to see Companies House and the UK IPO taking a united stand on this issue. We want every business, and every Chartered Trade Mark Attorney supporting them, to recognise these letters and invoices for what they are.

What businesses need to watch for

These scam invoices typically arrive by post at a company's registered office, though they can be sent by email. They ask for payment at a hugely inflated price for services that are available much more cheaply, or entirely free, from legitimate sources.

Companies House and the UK IPO are advising members to warn clients about unsolicited invoices requesting payment to:

  • set up or claim a Companies House online account
  • authenticate a Companies House account or verify company details
  • renew a trade mark or add it to an "exclusive online register"

Check whether a request is genuine

We encourage anyone who receives a letter or email like this, and isn't sure whether it's genuine, to:

  • contact a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney
  • check any website addresses in the letter or email – official Companies House and UK IPO services are only provided through GOV.UK
  • look for a disclaimer stating the organisation isn't affiliated with government
  • contact Companies House or the UK IPO directly to verify the request before paying anything
  • keep the letter and envelope and email pictures to [email protected]

We always recommend using a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney. They will be members of CITMA and will be regulated by the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg).

The practitioners and companies sending out misleading invoices are unlikely to be regulated, and may act unscrupulously.

Reporting suspicious contact

We're encouraging anyone who receives a suspicious letter or email to contact Companies House, the UK IPO, or a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney before making any payment.

We also urge anyone who believes they've been targeted to report it to Report Fraud and their local Trading Standards office.

Our advice to members

We ask all our members to share this guidance with clients. If you spot a new variant of this scam, please let us know so we can help raise the alarm. 

Keep the letters, and envelopes, and send these to [email protected] 

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