Fake Signatures, Real Consequences: The USPTO Just Proved Our Point

By C. Nicole Gaither

On August 6, 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a Final Order sanctioning a group of companies responsible for mass trademark filings for violating its rules, including forged signatures and account misuse, putting over 52,000 trademark applications and registrations at risk. Translation: The shortcuts got expensive.

If you used a “too-good-to-be-true” service or you don’t know who actually signed your forms, this is your wake-up call. Below: what happened, why it matters for real-world applicants, and how to protect your registration (and your wallet).

What happened (the receipts)

On August 6, 2025, the USPTO issued a Final Order for Sanctions against entities associated with mass filings often labeled as “Seller Growth.” The Office found a pattern of (1) unauthorized practice of law, (2) forged or false signatures, (3) fake evidence of trademark use (“specimens”), and (4) misuse of USPTO accounts. The penalties are severe. The USPTO can strike documents, end registration proceedings, and deactivate USPTO.gov accounts.

This wasn’t a sudden lightning strike. This storm had been brewing since 2022, when multiple show-cause orders were issued that flagged a large number of applications and registrations. In 2025, the Office sent decision letters to affected owners. The common theme here: if the information or signatures are trash, the filings are, too.

Bottom line: If a filing service promises champagne results at boxed-wine prices, this is the hangover.

Why this matters to you (yes, you)

1) Signatures are not just a formality

Every trademark form is a certification. The named signatory must personally execute the signature, meaning they themselves enter it through the USPTO’s signer link or upload a document with their signature. Nobody “helps” by clicking for you. If signatures are faked, borrowed, or robo-typed, your application or registration can be treated as fatally defective.

2) Only U.S.-licensed attorneys can represent others

If you’re foreign-domiciled, you must have a qualified U.S. attorney. Even if you’re U.S.-domiciled, allowing a non-attorney coach or consultant to draft, file, or “sign for you” is a great way to invite problems. Real lawyers provide strategy—and keep you inside the lines.

3) Accounts are personal, not communal

A USPTO.gov account is assigned to one individual. Sharing, renting, or allowing a third party to file using that account violates the rules and can compromise all filings made through it. If your records were accessed with an unauthorized account, the Office may disregard those filings.

Who could be affected (quick reality check)

• You used a bargain filing service that never listed a U.S.-licensed attorney of record.
• You never personally signed anything, even though your name appears in the signature block on the documents.
• Your TSDR record shows unusual bursts of activity, especially multiple filings “by you” on the same day.

If that sounds familiar: don’t panic. Do get organized.

What to do if you might be affected (do this now)

1. Look yourself up in the USPTO’s Trademark Status and Document Retrieval system (TSDR). Find your application or registration number and check the Documents tab for USPTO decision letters or orders from June–July 2025 onward.
2. Check your signatures. Download all forms (applications, responses, declarations). See who actually signed and how. If it wasn’t you (or your authorized corporate officer/your attorney), you have a problem.
3. Verify who represents you. If you’re foreign-domiciled, you need a U.S. attorney of record. If you’re U.S.-domiciled and used a non-attorney service, consult a qualified trademark attorney now.
4. Choose a fix path. Depending on the mess, options include a clean refile, corrective submissions, or a Petition to the Director. The best choice depends on timing, use status, and what’s already in the record.
5. Lock down your USPTO.gov account. Change the password. Stop sharing access. Treat it like online banking.

Pro tip: Brew some tea and set aside an hour. This is a paperwork audit, not a sprint. Screenshot everything.

How to avoid losing your registration (and your money)

• Hire a qualified U.S.-licensed trademark attorney. You’re paying for more than just forms. You’re paying for judgment, experience, compliance, and a strategy that will hold up over time.
• Own your signature. You (or your authorized corporate officer) must personally enter it. If someone asks to “sign for you,” that’s an 80s-level neon red flag.
• Protect your credentials. One person, one account. No exceptions.
• Tell the truth, precisely. First‑use dates, specimens, and domicile details must be accurate and supportable. Guessing is expensive.
• Think lifecycle. Calendar the dates for your Statement of Use (if you filed “intent to use”), your 5–6‑year maintenance, and your 10-year renewals. The USPTO is not your calendar app.

Red flags when shopping for filing help

• “We’ll list a lawyer later” (or no lawyer at all for foreign-domiciled clients).
• “Just send us your USPTO login.”
• “We can sign for you to save time.”
• “Guaranteed registration” paired with volume-based pricing.

If you spot any of the above, back away from the checkout page.

How Holon Law helps

• Sanctions Audit: We review your TSDR record, signatures, and counsel of record history; identify potential exposure; and outline immediate next steps.
• Resolve or Refile: From corrective filings to strategic refiles or petitions, we choose the option that protects your rights and your budget.
• Lifecycle Protection: We docket what matters, set up monitoring, and develop an enforcement plan so your registration remains an asset—not a liability.

The bottom line

We’ve been saying it for years, and now there’s a clear warning: shortcuts cost money. If a service skips steps on your filing, your mark might end up falling through an ACME-brand trapdoor. Check your record, verify your signatures, and get qualified help before you learn the hard way that “cheap” is the most expensive choice to make when it comes to your IP.

Want a quick, straightforward review? Book a consultation with Holon Law. We’ll confirm whether you’re affected, lock down deadlines, and give you a practical plan so you can get back to building your brand, not chasing paperwork.