The Indian Patents, Designs and Trademarks Office (IPDTO) has issued a notice asking members of the public to beware of websites which represent themselves as being officially associated with the IPDTO. The notice is also a cease and desist notice to all such entities which are operating the phony websites.
The IPDTO has threatened the entities/persons which run the sites with criminal proceedings if they don’t shut shop within a week from the date of the issue of the notice (the notice was issued on January 10, 2011).
It could invoke Section 108 of the Trademarks Act, 1999, which provides for a penalty against any person who represents his place of business as being officially associated with the Trademarks Office. The penalty includes an imprisonment which may extend to two years.
I request our readers to pass on this information to as many of their colleagues and clients as possible to prevent them from being taken for a ride.
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