This is my story with PTI which I am still trying to resolve, the following letter was sent to PTI by registered mail Jan 07. It reads as follows:
I am a very unhappy customer. I came to your company in 2005 to get assistance in patenting my product. After speaking with your operators we were convinced to have your company make our New Product Portfolio at a cost of $895 US. When we received it we were very happy with the finished product except for the Draft Patent Artwork.
1. Package 1 US Design/Utility Patent Application Package - $9,995.00 US. When we spoke with Jim Jackson, we told him that the DRAFT picture of our proposed product was incorrect and not a true reflection of our product. He convinced us that we should just sign it, because redrawing the picture would take a considerable amount of time and that we didn't want to delay the process and that because it was a DRAFT we would have an opportunity in the future to change it. I was misled.
As we found out later it turned out to be the picture submitted to the Patent Attorney, Mr. Galasso. No one told us that this was the picture the patent attorney would be getting. After receiving an ambiguous letter from our lawyer. (Not the letter of introduction with our legal opinion as was supposed to happen). After speaking with PTI and Mr. Galasso and explaining to both that the picture he received was not a true reflection of my product. He proceeded anyway.
I faxed him changes they were not even looked at I faxed PTI changes they were ignored as well. The lawyer then sent me an agreement for his services in with the paperwork for my patent. I made changes on this drawing as well, ignored again. Then the lawyers office drew another picture and submitted my patent application without my final approval of all three drawings and without explaining that the design patent he was applying for on my behalf was based solely on these three drawing that I never gave final approval for.
Now I am pursuing a patent on some product I don't even recognize. Now I am being told in order to change the pictures my patent must be reapplied for. At my expense of course because I was in the wrong, or so your company says, I say differently.
2. Package 2 - Trademark Package - $1,995.00 US: This was sold to us to be able to protect our product name which is Cloud 9 it was made very clear what name we wanted to protect. That is what we told Jim we wanted to protect and he told us we could. He led us to believe that a search had been done and that the Trademark would be applied for right away as we needed again to pay immediately so our protection would run smoothly. We later learned that we were misled again. (I called and talked to Mary, who after a five minute search online found out our name is taken already)
A Trademark cannot even be applied for until the product has been made and is represented on the market. Of course this information was kept from us. We were told that in order for our protection to run smoothly we needed to pay this amount up front. Obviously we had a lot of time to pay for this service. So I was misled again. I never had any intent on copyrighting anything this was solely paid to obtain a Trademark. Not a copyright on the portfolio I already own.
3. Package 3 - E.U. Patent Application - $12,995.00 US: Again Mr. Jim Jackson told us we needed this protection and that we needed to pay for it up front in order for all to run smoothly with our patent applications. That was misleading again because in fact one year later no work is yet to be done on this application. This means I did not need to submit my monies at that time and could have kept my $12,995 US in my bank account until such a time as it was needed.
We were also led to believe that the US patent was going to protect us in our home country of Canada. We asked this question many times as we are Canadian and want protection in our home country first and foremost. It does not. Therefore at this time I would like my monies refunded to me for this package as I no longer choose to pursue patent protection in the European Union. I have spoken with the lawyer and no work has been done on this patent. After the fact that I don't even recognize the patent submitted in the US I surely don't want it submitted in the EU.
4. Package 4 Provisional Application - $4,995.00 US: It is what it is. I have received these services. Not necessarily on the right product but the provisional patent with the written description is the closest thing to my actual patent.
After careful review of your company and the way it does business I am not pleased. At this time I would kindly ask you to stop all efforts on my part where the EU package is concerned. I would like my monies refunded for the two packages that I don't need nor want at this time.
Anyone who would like to take on this project and continue to help me and other pursue PTI would be greatly appreciated as I am Canadian and it is really hard to do correspondence long distance.
It took me about 6 months to figure out that I was being ripped off but tried to continue to get money back until I no longer got any response. At this time I have at least a dozen contacts that have not been responded to their voice mailboxes are full.
What can I do?
What are my rights?
Help?
Brigitte
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
0 comments