BMM behaalt overwinning in nepfacturenzaak
02/06/2015
Source: boek9.nl
During the registration and renewal process of their trademark, brand owners are often contacted by fraudulent persons who offer to make publicity or to handle a renewal. In many case, this relates to publicity in a worthless directory or to a very expensive renewal.
The BMM, the Benelux professional association of trademark attorneys and lawyers, has been fighting this kind of practice for years. But, given the fact that many of these parties are based outside the Benelux, it is not easy to tackle this form of fraud.
The BMM recently filed a number of criminal complaints in Belgium. Within the framework of the criminal investigation, a number of bank accounts of one of these parties have been frozen pending further investigation. This means that this party has lost an important part of its means to offer its services.
Former BMM president and initiator of this request, Tom Heremans: “We hope that our complaints will ultimately lead to criminal convictions. This will be the best signal to these fraudsters and it is also an excellent means to warn the public for the dangers: Never pay a fee for the publication of trademarks or renewals of trademarks if you do not know for sure who the party, requesting the payment, is. The BMM assumes that it will be easier in the future to act against such fraudulent practices.”