[E-trademarks] new scam company using Whirlpool name

[Gordon, Michael]

We just got one from China a few days ago. It bounced around internally through different departments before coming to me. I don’t know that we’ve seen one before. It’s so obvious that our IT provider has blocked the domain names they use on the emails and in their signatures as “Application, Enterprise Malware.”


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From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> On Behalf Of guyvmann--- via E-trademarks
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2024 3:16 PM
To: 'For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice.' <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
Cc: guyvmann at gvmlaw.net
Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] new scam company using Whirlpool name

CAUTION: EXTERNAL MESSAGE
These letters were coming out of China a few years back.
I guess a great idea has legs, eh?

Guy


Guy V. Manning
LAW OFFICES OF GUY V. MANNING
Intellectual Property Attorneys – Patent, Copyright, Trademark
4200 S. Hulen Street, Suite 603      Voice  (817) 294-7744
Fort Worth, Texas 76109  USA        Fax     (817) 294-7742
guyvmann at gvmlaw.net<mailto:guyvmann at flash.net>
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From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com>> On Behalf Of Cumbow, Bob via E-trademarks
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2024 7:30 PM
To: For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>>
Cc: Cumbow, Bob <Robert.Cumbow at millernash.com<mailto:Robert.Cumbow at millernash.com>>
Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] new scam company using Whirlpool name

Several clients of mine have received highly similar letters beginning the middle of last week and continuing through today. The letters purportedly come from different sources; most but not all of the ones I’ve seen were signed by “The Walsh Firm”, but I’ve seen two or three other names as well. This appears to be a wave of mass scam mailings that peaked last Thursday or Friday. Can’t tell if it’s just phishing or an effort to scare the recipients into sending money for work they don’t need (and may not get anyway).

Bob

Bob
 Cumbow
Partner
Miller Nash LLP
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From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com>> On Behalf Of Margaret Polson via E-trademarks
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2024 5:22 PM
To: for trademark practitioners <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>>
Cc: Margaret Polson <MPolson at polsoniplaw.com<mailto:MPolson at polsoniplaw.com>>
Subject: [E-trademarks] new scam company using Whirlpool name


[EXTERNAL MESSAGE: This email originated from outside of the firm. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.]

________________________________
One of our client’s received the following email with text that is a lot like some of the prior ones, but is using a pretty famous brand:

This is Steve Holloway, from an Intellectual Property Office of WhirlPool Trademark. I would like to bring to your knowledge that we have received the trademark application for the same business name as yours XXXXXXXX from the State of South Carolina while searching for this brand name, your information appeared. According to IP Protocols, your brand name is not registered with the Patent & Trademark Office that allow others to proceed with the registration.

However, as the Patent and Trademark office & IP Protocols suggest giving priority to the business owner over the new applicant. Therefore, we are reaching out to you for confirming whether would you be interested in reserving the federal trademark rights under your ownership for your name/mark.

Securing your business name matters, our service can help with the tricky part of trademark registration. The initial cost is $300 for filing your application, plus $350 federal charges per class. These classes depend on your services and name use. A class is sort of a category that your business falls under with USPTO. It is determined by the primary conduct of your business, the nature of your business, the products/services enlisted under your business including all aspects of use of the mark.

We would appreciate your prompt response, as the other applicant is still on hold until we receive your response. In case of no contact from you within the next 4 business days, the other applicant will be given the opportunity to begin their registration following the standard examination and filing procedure with the United States Patent & Trademark Office.

Please note that if you choose not to register the trademark, the other applicant will proceed as the Patent & Trademark office processes applications on a first-come, first-served basis.

Your immediate attention to this matter is of utmost importance. Please respond promptly to avoid any potential complications in securing your trademark.

Regards,

Steve Holloway
Sr. Trademark Consultant
WhirlPool Trademarks\

☎ (973) 755-3880
📧 steve at whirlpooltrademark.com<mailto:steve at whirlpooltrademark.com>
📮 50 Park Pl, Newark, NJ 07102, United States
🌐 Whirlpool Trademarks Website<https://bulkemail.invaderr.shop/p/aHR0cHM6Ly93aGlybHBvb2x0cmFkZW1hcmsuY29tLw/click/MTcwNTg0NjAzMjU2ODYwMS42NWFkMjUxMGNmZjBlQHdoaXJscG9vbHRyYWRlbWFyay5jb20>

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