NEVADA INVENTORS ASSOCIATION
May 2001 Newsletter
"A Community Resource"
"Education, Assistance, and
Networking for the Inventor"
Memorable Speaker Set for
Memorial Weekend Meeting
NIA founder, Don Costar will speak this Saturday. A staunch advocate for the independent inventor
and patent seeker, Costar will speak about the basics of inventing and protecting ideas, patent searches and offer
tips on marketing.
Profiled by Don Cox, in the Reno Gazette Journal, July 25th 1999 Costar said, "Once you come up with an invention,
you have to make it a business. It's an interesting process. Everybody needs help."
That's what Don Costar provides. He explains the patent process and warns about the many pitfalls along the way.
"I help inventors get over the first rough spot, keep them away from scams," Costar said. "I'm a
great inventor's helper. I'm a lousy inventor." Costar knows what an inventor is.
"He has the desire to do something better." Costar said. "When he solves a problem that he thinks
people will pay money for, he's an inventor. Anyone who solves a problem that's not being addressed properly, that's
an inventor."
Don is happy to answer your questions. This will be an stimulating and helpful meeting to all inventors and inventive
thinkers in our association. Please feel free to bring along any interested friends.
Meeting Schedule
The Regular meeting Schedule (dates and room) has been changed slightly to accommodate expected
larger attendance for upcoming meeting and room availability's.
New members and students are encouraged. Bring a friend! Anyone interested in inventing or who has a service that
might benefit inventors is welcome. Our meeting is a protected place and everybody is expected to sign the confidentility
ageement at the meeting entrance.
May Meeting
Saturday, May 26
9am to noon meeting Room 101
Washoe Medical Center
Featured Speaker:
Don Costar
Topic: Patents
June Meeting
Saturday, June 16
9am to noon meeting Room 101
Washoe Medical Center
Note: This meeting is on the 3rd Saturday of the month.
UIA Bulletin Board
• Want to learn more about a specific topic, such as "marketing" or "patent search"?
We've just put together a great search engine on our site! Check it out: www.inventorsdigest.com.
• Thanks to all who have supported our National Inventors' Month library program! So far we've raised enough money
to get invention displays into 2,510 libraries! Our goal is 8,000 libraries. Any help you can give is gratefully
accepted (and it's tax deductible.) For details go to www.inventorsdigest.com
• FELLOW INVENTORS NEED YOUR HELP. If you have any information that will help these folks please respond to them.
1. Where can I purchase some d.c. timers that I can set for around 20 minutes and at the end of that time it would
activate and stay on for approximately one minute and then shut off completely. I need to activate a d.c. solenoid
12 volt or 6 volt where there is no close electricity.
Gary S. Harris
gsh@shawneelink. net
2. I need information about a government office or institution that would be interested in an invention to produce
electric energy using sea waves.
Dr. Elias Morales
elimor@infolink. net
3. The devise I have invented Will decrease the cellulite in women with each usage. I am looking for a research
facility that will give me data on a large scale of tested women.
Thomas Kollars
thomdc@erols. com
4. 1 am searching for an individual who can produce a chemical product formula for a target market.
Wayne Couto success@charter. net
5. Can anyone recommend a company/ contact for product liability insurance?
Bill Cicio
bciciio@juno.com
Invention Promoters
Plead Guilty to Fraud
Springfield MA: in a precedence setting court action, the three top executives of American Inventor's Corporation
(AIC) plead guilty to mail fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. The executive's accepted a prosecution deal
which will include prison time and fines.
American Inventor's Corporation was originally exposed on WGGY TV40 "On Your Side" and then on ABC News
"48 Hours" in 1995. According to the FTC, this prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M.
Welch, marks the first federal criminal action against a company whose business is to help inventors promote their
ideas.
Bob Lougher, Executive Director of the UIA commented on the UIA website, "I hope that this case has now established
a precedence, much like the previous FTC raids on invention promoters. Criminal prosecutors now have a blueprint
for success. May 14, 2001 was another day in history."
REPRINTS ON THE SUBJECT
OF INVENTION
MARKING COMPANIES
Note the number and title of any or all of the reprints below and order them online from www.inventorsdigest.com
from the REPRINTS BY TOPIC area using your credit card. Each article is only $1.50! Or call 1-800-838-8808 and
order by credit card.
1013 How NOT to develop your invention - m/j 89
1018 New names for the same old scams - n/d 89
1101 Something was wrong - m/a 90 Scam victim tells all
1102 What you can do when they've done you wrong - m/a 90
1023 "The guy was on fire!" - j/a 90 Invention marketing scam
1025A Talk is cheap: Verify! - s/o 90 Questions to ask invention companies
1110 The Rip off Artists - j/f91
1033 Inventors: Beware of the SCAM! - m/j 91
1047 Federal Trade Commission charges Invention Promotion Companies - j/f 92
1123 How DO you know who to trust? - m/j 92
1155 Invention Submission Corp. Pays $1.2 million in consumer redress - mla 94
1161 "Scammed" inventor gets his $$$ back! - j/a 94
1184 Lawsuit filed against American Inventors Corporation - j/f 95
1192 How to avoid fraudulent invention marketing firms -m/j 95
1195 American Inventors Corporation on "48 Hours" TV show - m/j 95
1223 Beware the Scams - j/f 96
1241 BEWARE! Patent Pretenders - m/j 96
1242 Protecting Your Ideas and Your Wallet - m/j 96
A Look At the Tactics and Approach You Might Expect from Invention Promotion Companies
(adapted from the RESOURCE REVIEW: Winter 1998)
The fisherman and his catch of the day
The Inventor...
New to the invention process.
Thinks they are not capable of making the right decision themselves.
Unfamiliar with the jargon, the process, the pitfalls of invention development or business.
Fearful that someone will steal their idea or invention and wants to act fast.
Not realistic about the value of their invention.
Easily flattered by compliments about their "new baby".
On a tight budget.
Looking for a way to control cost in a neat package.
Looking to make a fast buck.
The Invention Promotion Firm...
Sees a lucrative opportunity.
Prey on inventors lack of knowledge
Preys on inventors misplaced trust
Is poised to continue no matter what happens
The inventors promotion firm is often illusive.
They bait the hook
The inital contact will be similar to the marketing tactics of all successful businesses.
First contact is often through radio or TV and an 800 number.
The inventor calls them and receives a packet of information.
They cast the line and jiggle the bait
They will be cordial, enthusiastic and very interested.
They tell the inventor this is one of the best ideas they have ever seen "It has potential."
They offer an initial consultation FREE. The result will most always be favorable.
They set the hook
They want you to succeed, just sign here ______________________.
A formal evaluation, "to take the inventor to the next phase," will only cost several hundreds of dollars.
Enthusiasm for your idea will continue, usually there is no critique.
When presenting the results of the evaluation they conclude that it is very likely the inventor will reap big dollars.
They keep the fish on the line
Some believe that as long as the
inventor has patience and money there
will be yet another and "another phase"
with no "final phase" among unscrupulous companies.
Phase - more extensive study of the idea.
Phase - patent searching
Phase - marketing studies
The cost of each "phase", usually a few thousand dollars that is a few thousand dollars more than the
phase just completed. In some cases more than $10,000 can be charged for a specific phase.
Results: 97-99% of inventors are still waiting for their "inevitable big dollars."
Failure? Failures are credited to such uncontrollable factors as the market, the timing the lack of financing....
NEVER the invention company.
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Page done by Vince Chemist.
Created on July 6, 2001
Updated on November 29, 2005