Fraudulent site
It pretends to be related to the real University of London and its publishing arm, UOL Press. The sites specialise in selling extremely expensive notes for undergraduates and SQE takers that are sold often at more than £100. Many of the notes have “UOL Press” printed on them to deliberately confuse buyers. The content is also likely to be AI generated and/or plagiarised. It is also part of a deliberate SEO strategy so that the websites show up on Google whenever one searches UOL LLB, UOL Law or UOL Press. If you search UOL LLB or UOL Press, the fraudulent websites appear right after the real websites. Thus students are easily fooled into thinking there is a real affiliation or might fall into the wrong site by accident.
The home page and another post on the UOLLB website claim that the notes are “UOL approved”.
The owner has gone as far as to register UOLLB and UOL with the UKIPO. This is a clear case of trademark infringement and fraudulent registration with the express intent of confusing potential consumers. The sites are also using these trademarks to bolster their false marketing and legitimacy.
Réponse de UOL Press
Thank you for raising these concerns, but we cannot find your purchase record. We take allegations of misleading conduct, intellectual property misuse, and consumer confusion very seriously.
We have made clear on our website that we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any university, including the University of London, the University of Liverpool, the University of Leeds, and University of Leicester. Any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect, and we are actively reviewing how our study materials are presented to ensure there is no possibility of misunderstanding.
We categorically reject any allegation of fraudulent intent. If this were our intention, why would we invest significant resources in registering our trademarks and establishing our profile? Our study materials are independently produced and are marketed as supplementary study resources. That said, we recognise that clarity in presentation is important for our brands, and therefore we are taking steps to ensure that all descriptions, labelling, and references are accurate and not capable of being misinterpreted.
Our trademarks, UOL®, UOLLB®, and UOLLB First Class Law Notes® are legally registered with the UKIPO, following a stringent examination process. We operate within the bounds of UK intellectual property law and have never claimed to be the University of London. Our materials are independent study aids designed to support students. If any party believes that their rights have been infringed, we encourage them to contact us directly so that the issue can be investigated and, if necessary, resolved promptly.
We also take academic integrity seriously. Our content is subject to internal review and editing processes, and we do not knowingly publish plagiarised material. We have been supporting law students since 2019, long before the widespread use of AI. Our study guides are the product of human authorship and intellectual creation, written by legal educators and edited by lawyers.
Finally, we constantly review our online presence and marketing practices, including search visibility, to ensure they align with fair competition standards and do not inadvertently create confusion for students. We remain committed to transparency, compliance, and providing value to our users, and we welcome constructive dialogue to address any legitimate concerns. If you have specific concerns regarding a purchase, please contact our support team directly so we can resolve the matter.