Webster Financial Corporation and Webster Bank, National Association v. Zhichao Yang
Claim Number: FA2110001970133
Complainant is Webster Financial Corporation and Webster Bank, National Association (“Complainant”), represented by Gail Podolsky of Carlton Fields, P.A., Georgia, USA. Respondent is Zhichao Yang (“Respondent”), China.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAMES
The domain names at issue are <webstrrbank.com>, <webstebrank.com>, <websteebank.com>, <websteerbank.com>, <websetrbank.com>, <websrerbank.com>, <websyerbank.com>, <webstterbank.com>, <webdterbank.com>, <wevsterbank.com>, <wwbsterbank.com>, <wrbsterbank.com>, and <qebsterbank.com>, registered with Alibaba Cloud Computing (Beijing) Co., Ltd..
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.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the Forum electronically on October 21, 2021; the Forum received payment on October 21, 2021.
On October 26, 2021, Alibaba Cloud Computing (Beijing) Co., Ltd. confirmed by e-mail to the Forum that the <webstrrbank.com>, <webstebrank.com>, <websteebank.com>, <websteerbank.com>, <websetrbank.com>, <websrerbank.com>, <websyerbank.com>, <webstterbank.com>, <webdterbank.com>, <wevsterbank.com>, <wwbsterbank.com>, <wrbsterbank.com>, and <qebsterbank.com> domain names are registered with Alibaba Cloud Computing (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and that Respondent is the current registrant of the names. Alibaba Cloud Computing (Beijing) Co., Ltd. has verified that Respondent is bound by the Alibaba Cloud Computing (Beijing) Co., Ltd. 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 October 28, 2021, the Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Chinese and English language Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of November 17, 2021 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@webstrrbank.com, postmaster@webstebrank.com, postmaster@websteebank.com, postmaster@websteerbank.com, postmaster@websetrbank.com, postmaster@websrerbank.com, postmaster@websyerbank.com, postmaster@webstterbank.com, postmaster@webdterbank.com, postmaster@wevsterbank.com, postmaster@wwbsterbank.com, postmaster@wrbsterbank.com, postmaster@qebsterbank.com. Also on October 28, 2021, the Chinese and English language 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, the Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
On November 23, 2021, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed Paul M. DeCicco as Panelist.
Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that the 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, the Forum's Supplemental Rules and any rules and principles of law that the Panel deems applicable, without the benefit of any response from Respondent.
Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.
Pursuant to UDRP Rule 11(a), the Panel finds that persuasive evidence has been adduced by Complainant to suggest the likely possibility that the Respondent is conversant and proficient in the English language. After considering the circumstance of the present case and the fact that Respondent has failed to object to gong forward in English, the Panel finds that the proceeding should be in English.
A. Complainant
Complainant contends as follows:
Complainant offers a wide range of banking and financial services, including online banking, checking account, and mortgage loan services.
Complainant has rights in the WEBSTER BANK mark through its registration of the mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”).
Respondent’s <webstrrbank.com>, <webstebrank.com>, <websteebank.com>, <websteerbank.com>, <websetrbank.com>, <websrerbank.com>, <websyerbank.com>, <webstterbank.com>, <webdterbank.com>, <wevsterbank.com>, <wwbsterbank.com>, <wrbsterbank.com>, and <qebsterbank.com> domain names are confusingly similar to Complainant’s WEBSTER BANK mark. Respondent incorporates the WEBSTER BANK mark in its entirety with intentional misspellings added along with the “.com” generic top-level domain (“gTLD”).
Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the <webstrrbank.com>, <webstebrank.com>, <websteebank.com>, <websteerbank.com>, <websetrbank.com>, <websrerbank.com>, <websyerbank.com>, <webstterbank.com>, <webdterbank.com>, <wevsterbank.com>, <wwbsterbank.com>, <wrbsterbank.com>, and <qebsterbank.com> domain names as Respondent is not commonly known by the at-issue domain names nor did Complainant authorize Respondent to use the WEBSTER BANK mark in any way. Respondent fails to make a bona fide offering of goods or services or legitimate noncommercial or fair use. Instead, Respondent’s domain names resolve to parked webpages that offer links to services that compete and related to Complainant’s business.
Respondent registered and used the <webstrrbank.com>, <webstebrank.com>, <websteebank.com>, <websteerbank.com>, <websetrbank.com>, <websrerbank.com>, <websyerbank.com>, <webstterbank.com>, <webdterbank.com>, <wevsterbank.com>, <wwbsterbank.com>, <wrbsterbank.com>, and <qebsterbank.com> domain names in bad faith as Respondent’s domain names resolve to parked webpages that offer links to services that compete and are related to Complainant’s business. Respondent had actual knowledge of Complainant’s rights in the WEBSTER BANK mark due to its longstanding use of the mark in commerce.
B. Respondent
Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
Complainant has rights in the WEBSTER BANK trademark.
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 names after Complainant acquired rights in the WEBSTER BANK trademark.
Respondent uses the at-issue domain names to address parked webpages that present pay-per-click type hyperlinks some of which compete with Complainant.
Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs this Panel to "decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted 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”).
The at-issue domain names are each confusingly similar to a trademark in which Complainant has rights.
Complainant shows that it has a USPTO registration for its WEBSTER BANK trademark. Such registration is sufficient to demonstrate rights in a mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See Haas Automation, Inc. v. Jim Fraser, FA 1627211 (Forum Aug. 4, 2015) (finding that Complainant’s USPTO registrations for the HAAS mark sufficiently demonstrate its rights in the mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i)).
Respondent’s at-issue domain names each contain Complainant’s WEBSTER BANK trademark less its domain name impermissible space, misspelled in various permutations and followed by a necessary top-level, here “.com.” The differences between Respondent’s domain names and Complainant’s trademark are insufficient to distinguish any of these domain names from Complainant’s WEBSTER BANK mark for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). Therefore, the Panel concludes that Respondent’s at-issue domain names are each confusingly similar to Complainant’s WEBSTER BANK trademark. See Twitch Interactive, Inc. v. zhang qin, FA 1626511 (Forum Aug. 4, 2015) (“The relevant comparison then resolves to the trademark, TWITCH, with the term, ‘titch,’ which, as can be readily seen, merely removes the letter ‘w’ from the trademark. In spite of that omission the compared integers remain visually and aurally very similar and so Panel finds them to be confusingly similar for the purposes of the Policy.”), see also Omaha Steaks International, Inc. v. DN Manager / Whois-Privacy.Net Ltd, FA 1610122 (Forum July 9, 2015) (“The domain name differs from the mark only in that the domain name substitutes the letter ‘a’ in the word ‘steak’ with the letter ‘c’ and adds the generic Top Level Domain (‘gTLD’) ‘.com.’ These alterations of the mark, made in forming the domain name, do not save it from the realm of confusing similarity under the standards of the Policy.”).
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 each 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 interests in respect of any 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 the at-issue domain names identifies the domain names’ registrant as “Zhichao Yang” and the record before the Panel contains no evidence tending to prove that Respondent is commonly known by any of the domain names or by Complainant’s WEBSTER BANK trademark. The Panel therefore concludes that Respondent is not commonly known by the any of the at-issue domain name for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii). 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 uses the confusingly similar domain names to address a parking webpages displaying links to third-party pay-per-click links. Respondent’s use of the confusingly similar domain names in this manner indicates neither a bona fide offering of goods or services under Policy ¶ 4(c)(i), nor a non-commercial or fair use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii). See Ferring B.V. v. Shanshan Huang / Melissa Domain Name Services, FA1505001620342 (Forum July 1, 2015) (“Placing unrelated third party links for the benefit of a respondent indicates a lack of a bona fide offering of goods or services, and a legitimate noncommercial or fair use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) and Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii), respectively.”).
Given the forgoing, Complainant satisfies its initial burden and conclusively demonstrates Respondent’s lack of rights and lack of interests in respect of each at-issue domain names under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).
Respondent’s at-issue domain names were each registered and used in bad faith. As discussed below without limitation, bad faith circumstances are present which compel the Panel to conclude that Respondent acted in bad faith pursuant to paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy regarding each of the domain names.
First, as mentioned above regarding rights and legitimate interests, Respondent uses its confusingly similar domain names to display hyperlinks related to third-parties including Complainant’s competitors. Doing so shows Respondent’s bad faith registration and use of the at-issue domain names under Policy ¶¶ 4(b)(iii) and (b)(iv). See Transamerica Corporation v. Carolina Rodrigues / Fundacion Comercio Electronico, FA 1798316 (Forum Aug. 20, 2018) (“Respondent's use of the domain name to link to competitors of Complainant, presumably generating pay-per-click or referral fees for Respondent, is indicative of bad faith under paragraphs 4(b)(iii) and 4(b)(iv).”).
Additionally, Respondent registered the at-issue domain names knowing that Complainant had trademark rights in WEBSTER BANK. Respondent’s prior knowledge is shown by the notoriety of Complainant’s WEBSTER BANK mark and by Respondent’s incorporation of such mark into numerous domain names. It is thus clear that Respondent intentionally registered the at-issue domain names to improperly exploit their trademark value. Respondent’s prior knowledge of Complainant's trademark further indicates that Respondent registered and used the domain names in bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii). 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").
Next, Respondent engages in typosquatting. Typosquatting is a practice whereby a domain name registrant deliberately introduces typographical errors or misspellings into a domain name hoping that internet users will inadvertently type the malformed string when searching for products or services associated with the target trademark, or will otherwise confuse the misspelled trademark laden domain name with its target trademark, a web address, an email address, or some other reference to the mark holder. Here, the at-issue domain names incorporate various misspellings of Complainant’s WEBSTER BANK mark. Typosquatting, in itself, is evidence of Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii) bad faith. 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)); see also, Sports Auth. Mich., Inc. v. Skander, FA 135598 (Forum Jan. 7, 2002) (stating that “[b]y registering the ‘typosquatted’ domain name in [Complainant’s] affiliate program, Respondent profits on the goodwill of [Complainant’s] protected marks and primary Internet domain names,” which is evidence of bad faith registration and use).
Finally, the Panel takes note that Respondent has suffered numerous adverse UDRP decisions as a respondent. In at least three such decisions Complainant WEBSTER BANK is the prevailing complainant. Respondent’s repeated cybersquatting evidences a pattern of domain name abuse, both generally and specifically against Complainant, and thereby shows Respondent’s bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(ii). See Tommy John, Inc. v. Carolina Rodrigues / Fundacion Comercio Electronico, FA2001001878688 (Forum Feb. 6, 2020) (finding bad faith registration and use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(ii) where the respondent had been subject to numerous UDRP proceedings where panels ordered the transfer of disputed domain names containing the trademarks of the complainants).
Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <webstrrbank.com>, <webstebrank.com>, <websteebank.com>, <websteerbank.com>, <websetrbank.com>, <websrerbank.com>, <websyerbank.com>, <webstterbank.com>, <webdterbank.com>, <wevsterbank.com>, <wwbsterbank.com>, <wrbsterbank.com>, and <qebsterbank.com> domain names be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
Paul M. DeCicco, Panelist
Dated: November 24, 2021
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