Warning: TV advertisement for "Inventor's Helpline"

I just saw something on TV that made me sick. It was a slick
advertisement for these people:

http://www.inventorshelpline.com/

These people are almost certainly scammers and conmen. The central
player in this scheme is probably a man named Julian Gumpel. See
http://www.uiausa.com/MirrorArticle.htm or
http://www.fraud.org/news/old/073097.htm

'Sporky'

Just because it's free doesn't make it free.

 

I get a kick out of this line:

All viable submissions will be forwarded to the Patent & Trademark Institute
of America? to ensure each new idea is refined, clear, and ready to be
legally protected. PTI assists you with the help of technical writers,
graphic artists, and patent attorneys. PTI has the resources required to
help you prepare your idea to be marketed to industry.

If you disclose an idea to them before making a patent application you have
little protection. At least with a lawyer there are ethics standards and a
whole bunch of other safeguards.

I think the Yellow Pages would serve a better purpose. Armed with a list of
local attorneys you can call each one and find out who does patent work.
Networking with other engineers can also help find reputable people.

 

hey, i thought everyone knew that inventor companies were right there with
instant weight loss
and baldness cures :>)

Bill

 

Everybody should, but not everybody does. I work with a company that
does some similar stuff and is actually ethical, to my sincere belief.
But even I can't be 100% certain of that. There is no way for the
average person to tell an ethical company from an unethical one except
by getting some good legal advice. Sharing your idea with anyone is
dangerous . . . IF it's a good idea. Of course about 98% of what
"inventors" come up with are NOT good ideas.

Mark 'Sporky' Stapleton
Watermark Design, LLC
www.h2omarkdesign.com.

 

Another way to find out if a company is ethical is to get screwed by them.
But that just plain sucks.

Corey