Seiko Epson Corporation v. ravi singh
Claim Number: FA1710001756508
Complainant is Seiko Epson Corporation ("Complainant"), represented by Rachel Jacques of Maschoff Brennan, Utah, USA. Respondent is ravi singh ("Respondent"), India.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME
The domain name at issue is <epsonprintersupportcanada.com>, registered with GoDaddy.com, LLC.
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.
David E. Sorkin as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the Forum electronically on October 31, 2017; the Forum received payment on October 31, 2017.
On November 01, 2017, GoDaddy.com, LLC confirmed by email to the Forum that the <epsonprintersupportcanada.com> domain name is registered with GoDaddy.com, LLC and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. GoDaddy.com, LLC has verified that Respondent is bound by the GoDaddy.com, LLC 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 6, 2017, the Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of November 27, 2017 by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, via email to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts, and to postmaster@epsonprintersupportcanada.com. Also on November 6, 2017, the Written Notice of the Complaint, notifying Respondent of the email 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 December 1, 2017, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed David E. Sorkin 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.
A. Complainant
Complainant is a leading international manufacturer of printers and other high technology products and related services. Complainant has used the EPSON trademark in connection with this business for more than thirty years. The EPSON mark is registered in the United States, Canada, and other jurisdictions.
Respondent registered the disputed domain name <epsonprintersupportcanada.com> through a privacy registration service in December 2016. The domain name is being used for a website that promotes services that compete directly with those offered by Complainant. The site uses Complainant's EPSON mark repeatedly, and allegedly attempts to pass off Respondent as a technical service provider for Complainant's products. A disclaimer at the bottom of the page notes that Respondent is independent of Complainant. Complainant states that it has not licensed or otherwise authorized Respondent to use the EPSON mark, and that Respondent is not commonly known by the domain name.
Complainant contends, on the grounds set forth above, that the disputed domain name <epsonprintersupportcanada.com> is identical or confusingly similar to its EPSON mark; that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate rights in the disputed domain name; and that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
B. Respondent
Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
The Panel finds that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to a mark in which Complainant has rights; that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name; and that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
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 and inferences set forth in the Complaint as true unless the evidence is clearly contradictory. See Vertical Solutions Mgmt., Inc. v. webnet-marketing, inc., FA 95095 (Forum July 31, 2000) (holding that the respondent's failure to respond allows all reasonable inferences of fact in the allegations of the complaint to be deemed true); see also Talk City, Inc. v. Robertson, D2000-0009 (WIPO Feb. 29, 2000) ("In the absence of a response, it is appropriate to accept as true all allegations of the Complaint.").
The disputed domain name <epsonprintersupportcanada.com> adds the generic terms "printer" and "support" and the geographic term "Canada" to Complainant's registered EPSON mark, along with the ".com" top-level domain. These additions do not substantially diminish the similarity between the domain name and Complainant's mark. See, e.g., Hewlett-Packard Development Co., L.P. v. Kevin Jonson, FA 1755743 (Forum Nov. 21, 2017) (finding <hpprinterhelpdesk.com> confusingly similar to HP); Google Inc. v. Manish Kumar / Smith USA / Vikash / Sunil Singh, FA 1711892 (Forum Feb. 17, 2017) (finding <gmailsupportcanada.com> confusingly similar to GMAIL); Seiko Epson Corp. v. Asish Sen, FA 1702054 (Forum Dec. 12, 2016) (finding <epsonprinterhelpline.net> confusingly similar to EPSON). The Panel finds that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant's mark.
Under the Policy, Complainant must first make a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name, and then the burden shifts to Respondent to come forward with concrete evidence of such rights or legitimate interests. See Hanna-Barbera Prods., Inc. v. Entm't Commentaries, FA 741828 (Forum Aug. 18, 2006).
The disputed domain name incorporates Complainant's registered mark without authorization, and is being used to promote competing services by creating a false impression of affiliation with or endorsement by Complainant. See, e.g., Hewlett-Packard Development Co., L.P. v. Kevin Jonson, supra (finding lack of rights or legitimate interests under similar circumstances); Seiko Epson Corp. v. Asish Sen, supra (same).
Complainant has made a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the domain name, and Respondent has failed to come forward with any evidence of such rights or interests. Accordingly, the Panel finds that Complainant has sustained its burden of proving that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name.
Finally, Complainant must show that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith. Under paragraph 4(b)(iii) of the Policy, bad faith may be shown by evidence that Respondent registered the disputed domain name "primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor." Under paragraph 4(b)(iv), bad faith may be shown by evidence that "by using the domain name, [Respondent] intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to [Respondent's] web site or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of [Respondent's] web site or location or of a product or service on [Respondent's] web site or location."
Respondent's registration of a domain name incorporating Complainant’s registered mark, together with the use of the domain name for a commercial website that promotes directly competing services by creating confusion with Complainant, is indicative of bad faith under these provisions of the Policy. See, e.g., Hewlett-Packard Development Co., L.P. v. Kevin Jonson, supra (finding bad faith where domain name under similar circumstances); Seiko Epson Corp. v. Asish Sen, supra (same). Respondent's use of a privacy registration service in an attempt to conceal his identity, though not itself dispositive, is a further indication of bad faith. See, e.g., Bloomberg Finance L.P. v. Damien Grangiens, FA 1751444 (Forum Oct. 30, 2017). The Panel finds that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
Having considered the three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <epsonprintersupportcanada.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
David E. Sorkin, Panelist
Dated: December 1, 2017
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