The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) issued an official security alert warning users about fraudulent, copycat websites designed to impersonate the official EUIPO portal. [1]

The key details of the alert include:

1. Nature of the Threat

• Spoofed Portals: Unauthorised third parties have set up counterfeit websites that precisely replicate the visual appearance, corporate logos, and layout of official EUIPO web pages.

• The Objective: These replica sites are engineered to trick visitors into believing they are using genuine EUIPO services, aiming to mislead them into performing unauthorised actions or downloading harmful software.

• System Integrity: The EUIPO explicitly confirmed that its official systems and databases have not been compromised; the fraud relies entirely on external lookalike sites outside of the office's infrastructure.

  
  

2. Dangerous Tactic: Fake "Security Checks" / CAPTCHAs

The alert highlights a specific, highly deceptive tactic used on these fake sites:

• Fraudsters have been using malicious "verification" steps (such as fake CAPTCHAs claiming to check if you are human or fixing an error) that instruct users to run system commands.

• The EUIPO's warning: Legitimate security checks never ask you to run system commands. Official verification procedures will never ask you to open your operating system’s command line, PowerShell, Terminal, or "Run" dialogue, nor will they ask you to copy and paste code onto your device.
  

3. Official Recommendations and How to Protect Yourself

• Verify the Domain: Always ensure you are browsing on the genuine EUIPO website at its exact URL: [https://euipo.europa.eu](https://euipo.europa.eu). Fraudulent sites operate on external domains outside this structure.

• Check the Address Bar: Carefully verify the web address before entering any information or following instructions.

• Never Execute Unexpected Prompts: Do not follow instructions on websites asking you to paste code or run terminal/command-prompt inputs on your local computer.

• Report Suspicious Activity: If you encounter a website mimicking the EUIPO or suspect you have interacted with one, you should report it immediately to the EUIPO Customer Department or your local IT security team.

Feature written by Kushraj Singh, Senior Legal Correspondent, The Global IP Magazine.

Email Kushraj: newsdesk@northonsprmarketing.com