DECISION

 

Phillips 66 Company v. Michelle Tricia

Claim Number: FA2311002070076

PARTIES

Complainant is Phillips 66 Company ("Complainant"), represented by Ryan Miller of Pirkey Barber PLLC, Texas, USA. Respondent is Michelle Tricia ("Respondent"), Texas, USA.

 

REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME

The domain name at issue is <philliips66lubricants.com>, registered with Hosting Concepts B.V. d/b/a Registrar.eu.

 

PANEL

The undersigned certifies that he has acted independently and impartially and to the best of his knowledge has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.

 

Paul M. DeCicco, as Panelist.

 

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Complainant submitted a Complaint to Forum electronically on November 7, 2023; Forum received payment on November 7, 2023.

 

On November 14, 2023, Hosting Concepts B.V. d/b/a Registrar.eu confirmed by e-mail to Forum that the <philliips66lubricants.com> domain name is registered with Hosting Concepts B.V. d/b/a Registrar.eu and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. Hosting Concepts B.V. d/b/a Registrar.eu has verified that Respondent is bound by the Hosting Concepts B.V. d/b/a Registrar.eu registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve domain disputes brought by third parties in accordance with ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy").

 

On November 16, 2023, Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of December 6, 2023 by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, via e-mail to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts, and to postmaster@philliips66lubricants.com. Also on November 16, 2023, the Written Notice of the Complaint, notifying Respondent of the e-mail addresses served and the deadline for a Response, was transmitted to Respondent via post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative and billing contacts.

 

Having received no response from Respondent, Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.

 

On December 7, 2023, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, Forum appointed Paul M. DeCicco as Panelist.

 

Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that Forum has discharged its responsibility under Paragraph 2(a) of the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules") "to employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual notice to Respondent" through submission of Electronic and Written Notices, as defined in Rule 1 and Rule 2. Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the ICANN Policy, ICANN Rules, Forum's Supplemental Rules and any rules and principles of law that the Panel deems applicable, without the benefit of any response from Respondent.

 

RELIEF SOUGHT

Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.

 

PARTIES' CONTENTIONS

A. Complainant

Complainant contends as follows:

 

Complainant, Phillips 66 Company, is a multinational energy company engaged in the manufacture, marketing, distribution, and sale of high-quality petroleum products and services.

 

Complainant has rights in the PHILLIPS 66 mark based on registration of the mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO")  

 

Respondent's <philliips66lubricants.com> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant's mark as it incorporates a misspelled version of Complainant's mark where Respondent inserted an extra letter "i". The domain name is also nearly identical to Complainant's <phillips66lubricants.com> domain name.

 

Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the <philliips66lubricants.com> domain name as it is not commonly known by the at-issue domain name and Complainant has not licensed or authorized Respondent to use Complainant's PHILLIPS 66 mark. Additionally, Respondent does not use the domain name for any bona fide offering of goods or services, nor for any legitimate noncommercial or fair use, because Respondent has not used nor made any demonstrable preparation to use the domain name for any bona fide offering. Instead, Respondent uses the at-issue domain name in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain money from unsuspecting customers of Complainant. Respondent has used the domain name to create an email account @philliips66lubricants.com that further uses the name of Complainant's Chief Human Resources Officer. Respondent used its sham email account for a fraudulent scheme in which Respondent posing as Complainant contacts customers of Complainant to request payment of invoices. Additionally, Respondent is not making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain name.

 

Respondent registered and uses the <philliips66lubricants.com> domain name in bad faith because Respondent uses the domain name to perpetrate a phishing scheme aimed at defrauding third parties. Furthermore, Respondent engages in typosquatting and had actual knowledge of Complainant's rights in the PHILLIPS 66 when it registered the at-issue domain name mark based on Respondent's use of the domain name to impersonate Complainant and its use of Complainant's trademark and logo. Respondent use of a proxy service in registering the domain name is also evidence of bad faith.

 

B. Respondent

Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.

 

FINDINGS

Complainant has trademark rights in the PHILLIPS 66 mark.

 

Respondent is not affiliated with Complainant and had not been authorized to use Complainant's trademark in any capacity.

 

Respondent registered the at‑issue domain name after Complainant acquired rights in its PHILLIPS 66 trademark.

 

Respondent used the at-issue domain name to facilitate an email phishing scheme.

 

DISCUSSION

Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs this Panel to "decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted and in accordance with the Policy, these Rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable."

 

Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that Complainant must prove each of the following three elements to obtain an order that a domain name should be cancelled or transferred:

 

(1)       the domain name registered by Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights; and

(2)       Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and

(3)       the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

 

In view of Respondent's failure to submit a response, the Panel shall decide this administrative proceeding on the basis of Complainant's undisputed representations pursuant to paragraphs 5(f), 14(a) and 15(a) of the Rules and draw such inferences it considers appropriate pursuant to paragraph 14(b) of the Rules.  The Panel is entitled to accept all reasonable allegations set forth in a complaint; however, the Panel may deny relief where a complaint contains mere conclusory or unsubstantiated arguments. See WIPO Jurisprudential Overview 3.0 at ¶ 4.3; see also eGalaxy Multimedia Inc. v. ON HOLD By Owner Ready To Expire, FA 157287 (Forum June 26, 2003) ("Because Complainant did not produce clear evidence to support its subjective allegations [. . .] the Panel finds it appropriate to dismiss the Complaint").

 

Identical and/or Confusingly Similar

The at-issue domain name is confusingly similar to a trademark in which Complainant has rights.

 

Complainant's USPTO registration for PHILLIPS 66 is sufficient to demonstrate Complainant's rights in a mark for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See Home Depot Product Authority, LLC v. Samy Yosef / Express Transporting, FA 1738124 (Forum July 28, 2017) (finding that registration with the USPTO was sufficient to establish the complainant's rights in the HOME DEPOT mark).

 

Respondent's <philliips66lubricants.com> domain name contains a recognizable misspelled version of Complainant's PHILLIPS 66 trademark where an extra letter "i" is inserted into the mark, followed by the suggestive term "lubricants," and with all followed by the ".com" top level domain. Notably the domain name is almost identical to a domain name Complainant operates namely <phillips66lubricants.com>. The differences between the at-issue domain name and Complainant's trademark are insufficient to distinguish one from the other for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). Therefore, the Panel concludes that the at-issue domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant's PHILLIPS 66 trademark. See Acme Lift Company, L.L.C. v. VistaPrint Technologies Ltd, FA 1607039 (Forum Apr. 11, 2015) (stating, "Where a respondent has created a domain name in an effort to visually deceive Internet users via a simple misspelling (and when such misspellings are visually similar to the mark), a finding of confusing similarity under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) is appropriate."); see also, Bloomberg Finance L.P. v. Nexperian Holding Limited, FA 1782013 (Forum June 4, 2018) ("Where a relevant trademark is recognizable within a disputed domain name, the addition of other terms (whether descriptive, geographical, pejorative, meaningless, or otherwise) does not prevent a finding of confusing similarity under the first element.").

 

Rights or Legitimate Interests

Under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii), Complainant must first make out a prima facie case showing that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in respect of an at-issue domain name and then the burden, in effect, shifts to Respondent to come forward with evidence of its rights or legitimate interests. See Hanna-Barbera Prods., Inc. v. Entm't Commentaries, FA 741828 (Forum Aug. 18, 2006). Since Respondent failed to respond, Complainant's prima facie showing acts conclusively.

 

Respondent lacks both rights and legitimate interests in respect of the at-issue domain name. Respondent is not authorized to use Complainant's trademark in any capacity and, as discussed below, there are no Policy ¶ 4(c) circumstances from which the Panel might find that Respondent has rights or legitimate interests in respect of the at-issue domain name. See Emerson Electric Co. v. golden humble / golden globals, FA 1787128 (Forum June 11, 2018) ("lack of evidence in the record to indicate a respondent is authorized to use [the] complainant's mark may support a finding that [the] respondent does not have rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name per Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii)").

 

The WHOIS information for <philliips66lubricants.com> indicates the domain name's registrant is "Michelle Tricia" and the record before the Panel contains no evidence tending to prove that Respondent is commonly known as <philliips66lubricants.com>. The Panel therefore concludes that Respondent is not commonly known by the <philliips66lubricants.com> domain name for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii). See Braun Corp. v. Loney, FA 699652 (Forum July 7, 2006) (concluding that the respondent was not commonly known by the disputed domain names where the WHOIS information, as well as all other information in the record, gave no indication that the respondent was commonly known by the domain names, and the complainant had not authorized the respondent to register a domain name containing its registered mark).

 

Respondent's <philliips66lubricants.com> domain name is used to host email pretending to come from one of Complainant's actual employees. Respondent's sham email is designed to deceive third parties regarding the email's source and ultimately to have the email's recipients direct funds intended for Complainant to an account controlled by Respondent. Such use of the <philliips66lubricants.com> domain name indicates neither a bona fide offering of goods or services under Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii), nor a non-commercial or fair use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(iv). See Microsoft Corporation v. Terrence Green / Whois Agent / Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc., FA 1661030 (Forum Apr. 4, 2016) (finding the respondent's use of the disputed domain names to send fraudulent emails purportedly from agents of complainant to be neither a bona fide offering of goods or services under Policy ¶ 4(c)(i), nor a legitimate noncommercial or fair use under Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii)).

 

Given the forgoing, Complainant satisfies its initial burden and demonstrates Respondent's lack of rights and lack of legitimate interests in respect of the at-issue domain name under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).

 

Registration and Use in Bad Faith

As discussed below without limitation, there is evidence that leads the Panel to find that Respondent acted in bad faith pursuant to the Policy.

 

As noted above regarding rights and legitimate interests, Respondent used the at-issue domain name in connection with an email based scheme intent on defrauding third parties. Respondent's bogus email impersonates Complainant's employee so that Respondent may trick Complainant's customers into sending funds to Respondent actually meant for Complainant. Respondent's use of the domain name to afford an email address for an imposter to further fraud shows Respondent's bad faith registration and use of the at-issue domain name under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iii) and Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv). See Abbvie, Inc. v. James Bulow, FA 1701075 (Forum Nov. 30, 2016) ("Respondent uses the <abbuie.com> domain name to impersonate Complainant's CEO. Such use is undeniably disruptive to Complainant's business and demonstrates bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iii), and/or Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv)"); see also Microsoft Corporation v. Terrence Green / Whois Agent / Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc., FA 1661030 (Forum Apr. 4, 2016) (finding the Respondent's use of the disputed domain names to send fraudulent emails supported a finding of bad faith registration and use under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iii)).

 

Next, Respondent engages in typosquatting. Respondent's domain contains an intentional misspelling of Complainant's trademark where the letter "i" is inserted into Complainant's mark. Typosquatting, in itself, indicates bad faith registration and use of Respondent's at-issue domain name. See Computerized Sec. Sys., Inc. v. Hu, FA 157321 (Forum June 23, 2003) (finding that the respondent engaged in typosquatting, which is evidence of bad faith registration and use under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii)).

 

Moreover, Respondent had actual knowledge of Complainant's rights in the PHILLIPS 66 mark when Respondent registered <philliips66lubricants.com> as a domain name. Respondent's actual knowledge is apparent from Respondent's phishing scheme's reliance on Respondent stealing the identity of an actual employee of Complainant, and from the notoriety of Complainant's PHILLIPS 66 trademark. Respondent's prior knowledge of Complainant's trademark further shows Respondent's bad faith registration and use of <philliips66lubricants.com>. See, Minicards Vennootschap Onder FIrma Amsterdam v. Moscow Studios, FA 1031703 (Forum Sept. 5, 2007) (holding that respondent registered a domain name in bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii) after concluding that respondent had actual knowledge of Complainant's mark when registering the disputed domain name).

 

DECISION

Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.

 

Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <philliips66lubricants.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.

 

 

 

Paul M. DeCicco, Panelist

Dated: December 7, 2023