DECISION

 

Authentic Brands Group, LLC v. Dr. Nettie Barton V / Melissa Rosa / Authentic brands group / Karen B / Authentic Brands Group / Karen B / Authentic Brands

Claim Number: FA2506002160222

 

PARTIES

Complainant is Authentic Brands Group, LLC ("Complainant"), represented by Bridgette Fitzpatrick of Authentic Brands Group LLC, New York, USA. Respondent is Dr. Nettie Barton V / Melissa Rosa / Authentic brands group / Karen B / Authentic Brands Group / Karen B / Authentic Brands ("Respondent"), USA.

 

REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAMES

The domain names at issue are <authenticbrandsgroupfashion.store>, <authenticbrandsgrouphr.store>, <authenticcompanybrandsgroup.store>, <authenticcompanydesigns.store> and <corporateauthenticcareers.com> (collectively "Domain Names"), registered with NameSilo, LLC and NameCheap, Inc.

 

PANEL

The undersigned certifies that they have acted independently and impartially and to the best of their knowledge have no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.

 

Nicholas J.T. Smith as Panelist.

 

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Complainant submitted a Complaint to Forum electronically on June 11, 2025; Forum received payment on June 11, 2025.

 

On June 11, 2025, NameSilo, LLC and NameCheap, Inc. confirmed by e-mail to Forum that the <authenticbrandsgroupfashion.store>, <authenticbrandsgrouphr.store>, <authenticcompanybrandsgroup.store>, <authenticcompanydesigns.store> and <corporateauthenticcareers.com> domain names are registered with NameSilo, LLC and NameCheap, Inc. and that Respondent is the current registrant of the names. NameSilo, LLC and NameCheap, Inc. have verified that Respondent is bound by the NameSilo, LLC and NameCheap, Inc. registration agreements 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 June 12, 2025, Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of July 2, 2025 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@authenticbrandsgroupfashion.store, postmaster@authenticbrandsgrouphr.store, postmaster@authenticcompanybrandsgroup.store, postmaster@authenticcompanydesigns.store, and postmaster@corporateauthenticcareers.com. Also on June 12, 2025, 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 July 3, 2025, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, Forum appointed Nicholas J.T. Smith 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 Names be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.

 

PRELIMINARY ISSUE: MULTIPLE RESPONDENTS

In the instant proceedings, Complainant has alleged that the entities which control the domain names at issue are effectively controlled by the same person and/or entity, which is operating under several aliases.  Paragraph 3(c) of the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules") provides that a "complaint may relate to more than one domain name, provided that the domain names are registered by the same domain name holder." 

 

Complainant contends that the registrants for the Domain Names are related because the Domain Names were registered on around the same time using (in the case of four of the Domain Names) the same or similar registrant information. In addition, each of the Domain Names are being used for identical illicit phishing purposes, each committing the same employment scam, impersonating current employees in Complainant's human resources department. This evidence, in the Panel's opinion, strongly suggests that the Domain Names are owned/controlled by a single Respondent; were the named Respondents unrelated, it would be unlikely that multiple unconnected entities using similar would register five domain names in a two week period each wholly incorporating the portion of the A AUTHENTIC mark reproducible in a domain name to be used for the same purposes.     

 

In light of these contentions, which none of the identified Respondents deny, the Panel concludes that, on the balance of probabilities, the Domain Names are commonly owned/controlled by a single Respondent who is using multiple aliases.  Hereafter the single Respondent will be referred to as "Respondent" in this Decision.

 

PARTIES' CONTENTIONS

A. Complainant

Complainant is a United States intellectual property holding entity that owns and licenses variety of iconic clothing and footwear brands such as Champion, Reebok, Eddie Bauer and Nine West. Complainant has rights in a mark consisting of the word "Authentic" and a device element consisting of a stylized letter "a" combined with a checkmark ("A AUTHENTIC mark") through its registration of the mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") (e.g. Reg. No. 7,498,906 registered September 10, 2024). Respondent's <authenticbrandsgroupfashion.store>, <authenticbrandsgrouphr.store>, <authenticcompanybrandsgroup.store>, <authenticcompanydesigns.store> and <corporateauthenticcareers.com> domain names are confusingly similar to Complainant's A AUTHENTIC mark. Respondent incorporates the A AUTHENTIC mark and adds one or more descriptive terms such as "group", "hr" (a common abbreviation of "human resources") or "designs" and a generic top-level domain ("gTLD").

 

Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Names. Respondent is not commonly known by the Domain Names, nor has Respondent been authorized by Complainant to use the A AUTHENTIC mark. Respondent has not used the Domain Names in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services. Rather, the Domain Names are used for a phishing scheme where Respondent impersonates Complainant to defraud individuals seeking employment with Complainant.

 

Respondent registered and uses the Domain Names in bad faith. Respondent has used the Domain Names to fraudulently mislead potential employees of Complainant in an effort to perpetuate fraud. Lastly, Respondent had actual knowledge of Complainant's rights in the A AUTHENTIC mark prior to registration of the Domain Names given Respondent's use of the Domain Names to pass off as Complainant, indeed as named employees of Complainant.

 

B. Respondent

Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.

 

FINDINGS

Complainant holds trademark rights for the A AUTHENTIC mark.  Each of the Domain Names is confusingly similar to the Complainant's A AUTHENTIC mark.  Complainant has established that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Names and that Respondent registered and has used the Domain Names in bad faith.

 

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

Complainant has rights in the A AUTHENTIC mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) through its registration of the mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") (e.g. Reg. No. 7,498,906 registered September 10, 2024). Registration of a mark with the USPTO is sufficient to establish rights in that mark. See DIRECTV, LLC v. The Pearline Group, FA 1818749 (Forum Dec. 30, 2018) ("Complainant's ownership of a USPTO registration for DIRECTV demonstrate its rights in such mark for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).").

 

The Panel finds that each of <authenticbrandsgroupfashion.store>, <authenticbrandsgrouphr.store>, <authenticcompanybrandsgroup.store>, <authenticcompanydesigns.store> and <corporateauthenticcareers.com> is identical or confusingly similar to the Complainant's A AUTHENTIC mark as they each incorporate the dominant portion of the A AUTHENTIC mark, merely removing the stylization and device element (that are not reproducible in a domain name), while adding a gTLD and various generic or descriptive terms such as "company" or "designs". Such changes are insufficient to distinguish a disputed domain name from a mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) analysis. See Microsoft Corporation v. Thong Tran Thanh, FA 1653187 (Forum Jan. 21, 2016) (determining that confusing similarity exists where [a disputed domain name] contains Complainant's entire mark and differs only by the addition of a generic or descriptive phrase and top-level domain); see also ADP, LLC. v. Ella Magal, FA 1773958 (Forum Aug. 2, 2017) ("Respondent's <workforce-now.com> domain name appropriates the dominant portion of Complainant's ADP WORKFORCE NOW mark and adds a hyphen and the gTLD ".com."  These changes do not sufficiently distinguish the disputed domain name from the ADP WORKFORCE NOW mark."); see also Trip Network Inc. v. Alviera, FA 914943 (Forum Mar. 27, 2007) (finding top-level domains are irrelevant for purposes of Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) analysis).

 

The Panel finds Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).

 

Rights or Legitimate Interests

Complainant alleges that Respondent holds no rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Names. In order for Complainant to succeed under this element, it must first make a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the Domain Names under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii), and then the burden shifts to Respondent to show it does have rights or legitimate interests. See Hanna-Barbera Prods., Inc. v. Entm't Commentaries, FA 741828 (Forum Aug. 18, 2006) and AOL LLC v. Gerberg, FA 780200 (Forum Sept. 25, 2006) ("Complainant must first make a prima facie showing that Respondent does not have rights or legitimate interest in the subject domain names, which burden is light. If Complainant satisfies its burden, then the burden shifts to Respondent to show that it does have rights or legitimate interests in the subject domain names."). The Panel holds that Complainant has made out a prima facie case.

 

Complainant asserts that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Names as Respondent is not commonly known by the Domain Names, nor has Complainant authorized Respondent to use the A AUTHENTIC mark. Respondent has no relationship, affiliation, connection, endorsement or association with Complainant. WHOIS information can help support a finding that a respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name, especially where a privacy service has been engaged. See State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company v. Dale Anderson, FA 1613011 (Forum May 21, 2015) (concluding that because the WHOIS record lists "Dale Anderson" as the registrant of the disputed domain name, the respondent was not commonly known by the <statefarmforum.com> domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii)); see also Kohler Co. v. Privacy Service, FA 1621573 (Forum July 2, 2015) (holding that the respondent was not commonly known by the disputed domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii) where "Privacy Service" was listed as the registrant of the disputed domain name).  

 

The WHOIS lists Authentic Brands Group/Authentic Brands as the corporate registrant of each of the Domain Names other than <corporateauthenticcareers.com> (which lists as registrant an entity with no obvious connection to the Complainant or the Domain Name in question). However, there is no affirmative evidence that the Respondent is actually commonly known under the Authentic Brands Group/Authentic Brands name as opposed to simply registering the Domain Names under a false name for the purpose of asserting rights or legitimate interests.  Even if a respondent appears from the WHOIS record to be known by the domain name, without additional affirmative evidence, it can be concluded that a respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name under Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii).  See Google Inc. v. S S / Google International, FA 1625742 (Forum Aug. 4, 2015) ("Respondent did identify itself as 'Google International' in connection with its registration of the Disputed Domain Name, and this is reflected in the WHOIS information.  However, Respondent has not provided affirmative evidence from which the Panel can conclude that Respondent was commonly known by the Disputed Domain Name before Respondent's registration thereof."); see also Hewlett-Packard Co. v. HP Supplies, FA 282387 (Forum July 22, 2004) ("The Panel finds, because of the prominence of the HP mark, that Respondent's registration under the 'HP Supplies' name does not establish that Respondent is commonly known by the <hpsupplies.com> domain name.").  Given the lack of evidence that the Respondent is actually known under a name corresponding to the Domain Names, the use (discussed further below) of the Domain Names for phishing purposes, and Complainant's unrebutted assertions as to absence of any affiliation or authorization between the parties, the Panel finds that Respondent is not commonly known by the Domain Names in accordance with Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii). 

 

The Domain Names are presently inactive which by itself does not show a bona fide offering of goods and services. Complainant alleges, and provides evidence supporting its allegations, that Respondent uses email addresses associated with Domain Names to attempt to pass itself off as Complainant in furtherance of a phishing scam, being a scheme where Respondent would then send fake job offers or interview requests to potential candidates using an e-mail address created through the Domain Names. Use of a disputed domain name to pass off as a complainant through emails is not a bona fide offering of goods or services or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use per Policy ¶¶ 4(c)(i) or (iii). See Emerson Electric Co. v. Adilcon Rocha, FA 1735949 (Forum July 11, 2017) (finding that respondent's attempt to pass off as complainant through emails does not constitute a bona fide offering of goods or services and, as such, respondent lacked rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name); see also Caterpillar Inc. v. ruth weinstein, FA 1770352 (Forum Mar. 7, 2018) ("Use of a disputed domain name in an attempt to pass itself off as a complainant and to conduct a phishing scheme is indicative of a failure to use said domain name in connection with a bona fide offer of goods and services per Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) or a legitimate noncommercial or otherwise fair use per Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii).").

 

The Panel finds Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).

 

Registration and Use in Bad Faith

The Panel finds that, at the time Respondent registered the Domain Names (between May 27, 2025 and June 9, 2025), Respondent had actual knowledge of Complainant's A AUTHENTIC mark. The Respondent has used the Domain Names to pass itself off as Complainant (indeed named employees of the Complainant) for financial gain. In the absence of rights or legitimate interests of its own this demonstrates registration in bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii).

 

The Panel finds that Respondent registered and uses the Domain Names in bad faith as Respondent uses email addresses associated with the Domain Names to attempt to pass itself off as employees of the Complainant (indeed named employees of Complainant) to disrupt the Complainant's business or for financial gain. Using a disputed domain name to pass off as an employee of a complainant via email can demonstrate bad faith under Policy ¶¶ 4(b) (iii) and (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 Qatalyst Partners LP v. Devimore, FA 1393436 (Forum July 13, 2011) (finding that using the disputed domain name as an e-mail address to pass itself off as the complainant in a phishing scheme is evidence of bad faith registration and use).  Accordingly, the Panel finds that Respondent registered and uses the Domain Names in bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv).

 

The Panel finds Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii).

 

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 <authenticbrandsgroupfashion.store>, <authenticbrandsgrouphr.store>, <authenticcompanybrandsgroup.store>, <authenticcompanydesigns.store> and <corporateauthenticcareers.com> domain names be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.

 

 

 

Nicholas J.T. Smith, Panelist

Dated: July 3, 2025