For More Information

For More Information

A number of government agencies and private organizations offer
publications and assistance to independent inventors. You can call the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office at (703) 557-4636 and the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA) at 1-(800)-827-5722 for publications about inventions.

You also may want to call your SBA district office to learn about
services available through the Small Business Development Centers program.
Inventor's clubs, associations, and innovation centers also can be valuable
sources of information and services. For their locations contact the following
organizations:

United Inventors Association of the United States of America (UIA-USA)
P.O. Box 50305
St. Louis, Missouri 63105
(stamped, self-addressed envelope required)

National Congress of Inventor Organizations (NCIO)
727 North 600 West
Logan, Utah 84321
(801) 753-0888

Minnesota Inventors Congress
P.O. Box 71
Redwood Falls, Minnesota 56283-0071
(507) 637-2344

What to Do If You Are a Victim

If you believe you are a victim of a fraudulent invention promotion,
first contact the firm and try to get your money back. If you are
unsuccessful, report your problem to your Better Business Bureau, local
consumer protection agency, and the Attorney General in your state and in the
state where the company is located. Your information may help an ongoing
investigation or demonstrate the need for one.
You also may file a complaint with the FTC by writing: Correspondence
Branch, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580. The FTC generally
does not intervene in individual disputes. However, the information you
provide may indicate a pattern of possible law violations.