Catholic Charities USA Warns Against Fraudulent Email Catholic Charities USA issued the following statement on fraudulent emails that are circulating. Fraudulent emails that are misappropriating the name of Catholic Charities USA and its affiliates are being sent to extract money and/or personal information from unsuspecting recipients and are circulating on the Internet. There are numerous variations of these emails, which are labeled with any one of the following subject titles: GRANT NOTIFICATION; THE CATHOLIC CHARITY; THE CATHOLIC CHARITY FOUNDATION; FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CASH GRANT PROGRAM; Donations for Hurricane Gustav Recovery Efforts. These emails each list different contact persons and contact information (including email addresses) so that recipients of the emails may respond to purportedly collect funds after the recipient provides detailed personal information and/or is asked to travel to receive such funds. In addition, in at least one instance, the Web site of Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida has been misappropriated in the actual fraudulent email. In order to combat and prevent the continued distribution of these emails, Catholic Charities USA issued the following warning to each and every email address listed on these communications and is fully prepared to pursue legal action if the transmission of these fraudulent emails does not cease immediately. MESSAGE FROM Catholic Charities USA: To Whom It May Concern: CCUSA is the owner of numerous trademarks that have been widely used throughout the United States for many years. CCUSA has invested significant time and money in promoting services offered under this name and trademark. As a result, it has become widely known as a valuable symbol of CCUSA’s goodwill. Your unauthorized use of the name “Catholic Charities” is likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception among the recipients of the email. Accordingly, we insist that you immediately discontinue all further sending of the above email. Federal law provides for imposition of severe penalties against those who make unauthorized use of registered trademarks. Among other things, the courts may require a defendant to pay for all damages caused by the infringement, all profits derived from the unauthorized use of the plaintiff’s trademark, court costs and attorneys’ fees. The courts also have the authority to treble the amount of such damage awards. I hope you appreciate the serious nature of this matter and our interest in ensuring that recipients of the email are not misled by your unauthorized use of the Catholic Charities name and trademark. Based upon the foregoing, we hereby formally request that you (and your organization) immediately cease and desist and stop transmitting and distributing the above unsolicited email and take the necessary steps to ensure that no further acts of unlawful transmission and distribution of unsolicited e-mail occur. If possible, we would prefer to resolve this matter amicably, but CCUSA expressly reserves all rights it may have to take further action against you. To that end, please contact me promptly in writing to confirm that you have ceased from sending the above email (and all similar emails bearing the Catholic Charities name and trademark) and that you will no longer engage in the unauthorized use of our intellectual property. I look forward to hearing from you and request a reply within seven (7) days from today. Sincerely, Father Larry Snyder
President, Catholic Charities USA -30- |