We were recently notified of a trademark warning email doing the rounds, which was brought to our attention by a very astute Superintendent Minister of a London based Methodist church, who suspected something was amiss due to the opening language of the email and the poor formatting of the image based signature.
The email came from an address using the domain: paul.rawlinson@trademarkium.uk
The subject line was: UK Registration Documentation
It claimed that another party had instructed the sender’s office to file a UK trademark application for the church’s name, and that the church had been given a final opportunity to protect the trademark first. This is the same pattern we are seeing repeatedly.
Create urgency. Create fear. Offer the solution.
But this example is particularly concerning because the email footer uses the name Paul Rawlinson and describes him as an Intellectual Property Lawyer. There was a highly respected intellectual property lawyer called Paul Rawlinson, formerly of Baker McKenzie, who sadly passed away in 2019.
We are not suggesting that the real Paul Rawlinson had anything to do with this email. Quite the opposite, the concern is that the name of a deceased and respected intellectual property lawyer appears to have been used to give credibility to a trademark warning email in order to try and make unsuspecting organisations part with their money.
The Email
The email stated:
Dear [REDACTED],
I hope you are doing well.
This email serves as our final notice concerning the trademark rights associated with [REDACTED] in the United Kingdom.
A separate applicant has formally instructed our office to submit an application for this branding before the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO). As a professional courtesy, we temporarily placed those instructions on hold to allow your business the first opportunity to protect the trademark.
We are no longer able to maintain that hold.
As the UK follows a first-to-file trademark system, the timing of an application can play a significant role in determining legal rights. While outcomes depend upon the specific circumstances of each case, obtaining registration at an early stage generally places the registered proprietor in a stronger legal position.
Should another party complete registration first, your business may be exposed to risks including:
- Objections relating to the continued use of your existing brand.
- Formal legal correspondence requesting that your branding be discontinued or amended.
- Potential opposition, cancellation, or other legal proceedings.
- Commercial disruption affecting licensing, expansion, franchising, or investment activities.
- Significant expense if rebranding becomes necessary, including replacement of marketing materials, websites, packaging, stationery, signage, and digital assets.
Postponing action may reduce your available legal options while increasing both complexity and future costs.
If you intend to secure this trademark in your own name, please confirm your instructions as soon as possible so we may process your application before proceeding on behalf of the competing applicant.
If we do not receive your confirmation, we will continue in accordance with our existing instructions from the other party, and your opportunity to obtain priority through our office will cease.
To move forward, simply reply to this email or contact our office directly on [REDACTED].
We look forward to your prompt response.
The Name In The Footer
The email footer displayed the name Paul Rawlinson, with the title Intellectual Property Lawyer. As mentioned above, there was a very well-known intellectual property lawyer called Paul Rawlinson. He was formerly the global chair of Baker McKenzie, was widely respected in the legal profession, and sadly passed away in 2019.
We do not know who is behind Trademarkium. We do not know why this name has been used. However, if the intention was to make the email appear connected to the late Paul Rawlinson, that is extremely serious.
This article is not about criticising Paul Rawlinson, it is the absolute opposite. It is about warning businesses that the names of genuine, respected or even deceased legal professionals are continuing to be used to make questionable trademark emails look more credible.
Is Trademarkium A Genuine Firm?
The footer used the name Trademarkium.
The email address used the domain: trademarkium.uk
The footer also showed: trademarkium.co.uk
At the time of writing, we have not identified a Companies House record for Trademarkium.
The website also did not appear to be visible or secure when reviewed.
That does not prove, by itself, that the email is fraudulent. But when combined with the use of a deceased IP lawyer’s name, a non-functioning or insecure website, and the familiar pressure-based wording, it raises obvious concerns.
The Tactics
The email tells the recipient:
- another party is about to file for their name
- the sender has placed that application on hold
- the hold cannot continue
- the recipient may face legal and commercial consequences
- the sender can file the application for them first
- they should respond promptly
This is not the way most business owners expect to be approached about a genuine trademark issue.
A genuine trademark conflict can be serious. However, it should be possible to verify who is acting, who the applicant is, whether an application exists, and whether the person contacting you is genuinely connected to the organisation they claim to represent.
Pressure is the point, as the less time you have to check, the more likely you are to panic and pay.
Why This One Is Particularly Low
Most trademark scam emails target businesses. This one appears to have targeted a church.
Charities, churches and community organisations should not have to deal with legal-sounding emails designed to create fear around their name.
They did exactly the right thing. They questioned it, checked the details, and contacted us before taking any action, and we are grateful that they did.
Why are you being targeted?
We don’t know exactly how the senders of these letters choose who to write to. From the ones forwarded to us, they tend to pick businesses that:
- are established and have been trading for a while
- have a strong name, logo or tagline that customers know them by
- have not registered a trademark
They know you should have one. They are counting on a moment of panic, when paying them feels quicker than finding a legitimate adviser. The people who have told us they paid after a letter like this rarely received anything for their money.
How did the letter make you feel?
If it worried you, take that seriously. However badly meant, the letter has put its finger on something real: your brand may not be protected, and a registered trademark is the best way to protect it.
Ask yourself what it would cost if you had to stop using your name tomorrow and rebrand: the signage, the website, the packaging, the stationery, and the years of reputation built under that name.
Can you register your name?
Not always, which is why we check first. A trademark is not guaranteed. Your name has to be distinctive enough in your sector, and however long you have been trading, someone else may already own a trademark for it without you having felt the consequences yet.
That is why we always start with a free trademark search, followed by a Trademark Clearance Audit and consultation, so we can assess everything and flag any threats before you spend anything on official fees.
Trademarks are not just for big companies
They are not expensive: the UKIPO’s own fee for a UK trademark starts at £205 for ten years of protection, for one class, applied for online. And they are not a cost. A registered trademark is a business asset in its own right. For more detailed pricing, try our trademark cost calculator.
The key is keeping a regular watch on the trademark registers, Companies House, social media, marketplaces and even search engines. The real law firms named in some of these warnings have had strangers trading on the reputation and goodwill they built. The sooner you spot an infringement, the sooner you can have it taken down, and the less damage it can do to your brand. That is what TMH Monitoring does.
Find out where your name stands
We don’t condone the senders of these letters or their tactics, but we know who they pick: established businesses that haven’t registered a trademark. Trademarks are often overlooked by UK brands, yet a registration is the essential tool for getting malicious websites and confusingly similar social media accounts taken down.
We have just seen it work. A copycat law firm website we warned about was taken offline less than a day after we listed it. That is the value of proactive brand protection.
Start with a free search of the UK trademark register. It shows whether similar names are already registered, and a specialist will talk you through what it means for your business.
What Should You Do If You Receive A Trademarkium Email?
If you receive an email from Trademarkium, or any similar organisation claiming that another party is about to register your name as a trademark, do not panic.
Before replying, calling or paying, check:
- Is there actually a pending UK trademark application?
- Who is the alleged competing applicant?
- Is the sender a real legal business?
- Is the website secure and active?
- Is the person named in the footer genuinely connected to the sender?
- Does the company exist on Companies House?
- Is the person or firm regulated?
- Do you already have rights in the name?
If you already have a trademark representative, send the email to them.
If you do not, get a second opinion before giving instructions or making any payment. You can check known scams in our free Trademark Scam Directory, which lists the fake trademark letters, invoices and emails reported to us.
Have You Received A Trademarkium Email?
If you have received a UK Registration Documentation email from Trademarkium, or a similar email from another organisation, we would be interested in seeing it.
We are continuing to monitor these approaches and build a clearer picture of the names, domains and tactics being used.
And if you landed here after searching to check whether the Trademarkium email is a scam, the honest answer is that we cannot yet verify who is behind it. What we can say is that the checks above took us minutes, and nothing about them reassured us.
As always, if in doubt, do not pay anybody. Pick up the phone and call us on 0161 833 5400, or drop us an enquiry first.
Questions about this
What is a ‘UK Registration Documentation’ trademark email?
It is an email telling the recipient that a separate applicant has instructed the sender to file a UK trademark for their name, that those instructions were put on hold as a courtesy, and that the hold is ending. It lists risks such as objections, legal proceedings and rebranding costs, then asks the recipient to confirm instructions so the sender can file for them first.
Answered by Saad Ashraf, Marketing ManagerAre charities and churches targeted by trademark warning emails?
Yes. One example was sent to a London-based Methodist church about its name. The minister noticed the unusual opening language and the poor formatting of the image-based signature, and checked before taking any action. Charities, churches and community organisations hold names that matter to them too, so the same checks apply: verify any claimed application and the sender before replying or paying.
Answered by Saad Ashraf, Marketing ManagerWhat is worth checking before replying to a trademark warning email?
Check whether a pending UK trademark application actually exists for the name, who the competing applicant is, and whether the sender is a real legal business with a Companies House record and a working, secure website. It also helps to check that any lawyer named in the footer is genuinely connected to the sender. Suspicious payment requests can be reported to misleadinginvoices@ipo.gov.uk.
Answered by Saad Ashraf, Marketing Manager
