Hello to all, inventors and IP sellers. Being an inventor/developer I have been trying to sell my patents since 2004. In these 4 years I contacted over 850 companies in the world and had several good contacts, but also I came across several attempts to scam. In fact on the web there is people which, using the contact info found on the ads, contact the inventors to extort confidential information on the "How-to" technology of patents. I was often contacted by them and I've always ignored it, but a few months ago I was contacted with a new scam. I have unmasked it but it was not easy, so I decided to report it to you, to avoid anybody may fall in it or others similar; several people (inventors and traders) did it and spent a lot of money to travel and/or buying material to do nothing!

They often use the same data and have a their own web page.

This is the 1° email they send to the chosen "victim":
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Dear Sirs,
We are China Shijiazhuang shenzhouyilong Trade Co., Ltd.At present we are interested in your Patent,Active Filter: Biquad Self-Compensated .We shall be pleased to receive your quotation. We hope to establish good business relations with you. Can you give me your website or some details of your patent ?We wish you give us an early replying. Thank you very much!
Yours faithfully,

China Shijiazhuang Shenzhouyilong Trade Co., Ltd
Business Manager: Wenliang Wang
Tel: 0086-(0)311-66182036
Mobile phone: 0086-15175108739
Email: "szylwa@126.com"
Assitant: Jenny
Website:www.sjzszyl.com
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Don't reply to them, they haven't even a license to operate!

If you are contacted by people which saw your advertising on the web, I suggest to protect you using a non-disclosure agreement so you could denounce anybody who disseminates your confidential information; and if they don't accept to sign it, probably it means they are not serious people.

However, basing on my personal experience, I reccomend to contact directly companies.
The Best way is to find them using a free patent database to select the ones which have a patent portfolio compatible with the inventions you want to sell for.
This method gave me the best results.
In fact investors usually don't buy patents searching them on the web/magazines ad; I haven't had a serious proposal from a privat investor so far.
The only serious contact obtained by a web ad, was from an US company which works to sell patents to companies and it didn't ask me money because failed to find a buyer for my patents.

I hope I was useful to somebody which will read this blog.
We are honest inventors and our way is already difficult, but unfortunately we have to fight against this dishonest people which want to steal our work.

All the Best to all of you and remember..we can do it!

Roberto Cavazzoni

cavazzoniroberto@tiscali.it