Bloomberg Finance L.P. v. Jimmy Yau
Claim Number: FA1712001764034
Complainant is Bloomberg Finance L.P. (“Complainant”), represented by Brendan T. Kehoe of Bloomberg L.P., New York, USA. Respondent is Jimmy Yau (“Respondent”), Hong Kong.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME
The domain name at issue is <bloomberglp.asia>, registered with Crazy Domains FZ-LLC.
The undersigned certifies that he or she has acted independently and impartially and to the best of his or her knowledge has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.
Sandra J. Franklin as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the Forum electronically on December 21, 2017; the Forum received payment on December 21, 2017.
On December 26, 2017, Crazy Domains FZ-LLC confirmed by e-mail to the Forum that the <bloomberglp.asia> domain name is registered with Crazy Domains FZ-LLC and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. Crazy Domains FZ-LLC has verified that Respondent is bound by the Crazy Domains FZ-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 January 2, 2018, the Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of January 22, 2018 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@bloomberglp.asia. Also on January 2, 2018, 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, the Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
On January 24, 2018, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed Sandra J. Franklin 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
1. Respondent’s <bloomberglp.asia> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s BLOOMBERG mark.
2. Respondent does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the <bloomberglp.asia> domain name.
3. Respondent registered and uses the <bloomberglp.asia> domain name in bad faith.
B. Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
Complainant, Bloomberg Finance L.P., uses the BLOOMBERG mark in connection with offering global financial services. Complainant holds multiple registrations for the mark with various trademark organizations including the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) (e.g. Reg. No. 2,736,744, registered July 15, 2003).
Respondent registered the <bloomberglp.asia> domain name on December 22, 2016, and used it to sell Complainant’s content. The disputed domain name currently resolves to an inactive website. Respondent also offers the disputed domain name for sale.
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 Panel finds that complainant has rights in BLOOMBERG mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) based upon its registration with multiple trademark agencies, including the USPTO. 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 <bloomberglp.asia> domain name includes the BLOOMBERG mark in its entirety, along with the letters “LP” and the “.com” gTLD. These changes do not distinguish the domain name from the mark incorporated therein. See ModCloth, Inc. v. James McAvoy, FA 1629102 (Forum Aug. 16, 2015) (“The Panel finds that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s mark because it differs from Complainant’s mark by merely adding the letter ‘L’ . . . ”); see also Vance Int’l, Inc. v. Abend, FA 970871 (Forum June 8, 2007) (finding that by adding the term “security” to the complainant’s VANCE mark, which described the complainant’s business, the respondent “very significantly increased” the likelihood of confusion with the complainant’s mark); see also Trip Network Inc. v. Alviera, FA 914943 (Forum Mar. 27, 2007) (concluding that the affixation of a gTLD to a domain name is irrelevant to a Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) analysis). Thus, the Panel finds that Respondent’s <bloomberglp.asia> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s BLOOMBERG mark.
The Panel finds that Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).
Once Complainant makes a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii), 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) (holding that the complainant must first make a prima facie case that the respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name under UDRP ¶ 4(a)(ii) before the burden shifts to the respondent to show that it does have rights or legitimate interests in a domain name); see also 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.”).
Complainant argues that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the <bloomberglp.asia> domain name and is not commonly known by the disputed domain name. Complainant has not authorized Respondent to use the BLOOMBERG mark in any way. The WHOIS information of record identifies Respondent as “Jimmy Yau.” Therefore, the Panel find under Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii) that Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name. See Alaska Air Group, Inc. and its subsidiary, Alaska Airlines v. Song Bin, FA1408001574905 (Forum September 17, 2014) (holding that the respondent was not commonly known by the disputed domain name as demonstrated by the WHOIS information and based on the fact that the complainant had not licensed or authorized the respondent to use its ALASKA AIRLINES mark.); see also Navistar International Corporation v. N Rahmany, FA1505001620789 (Forum June 8, 2015) (finding that the respondent was not commonly known by the disputed domain name where the complainant had never authorized the respondent to incorporate its NAVISTAR mark in any domain name registration).
Complainant further argues that Respondent fails to make a bona fide offering of goods or services as Respondent was using the disputed domain name to sell Complainant’s content in direct competition with Complainant. Using a confusingly similar domain name to offer competing goods or services is not a bona fide offering of goods or services. See Fadal Engineering, LLC v. DANIEL STRIZICH,INDEPENDENT TECHNOLOGY SERVICE INC, FA 1581942 (Forum Nov. 13, 2014) (finding that Respondent’s use of the disputed domain to sell products related to Complainant without authorization “does not amount to a bona fide offering of goods or services under policy ¶ 4(c)(i), or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use under Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii).”); see also Upwork Global Inc. v. Shoaib Malik, FA 1654759 (Forum Feb. 3, 2016) (finding that Complainant provides freelance talent services, and that Respondent competes with Complainant by promoting freelance talent services through the disputed domain’s resolving webpage, which is neither a bona fide offering of goods or services, nor is it a legitimate noncommercial or fair use). Accordingly, the Panel finds that Respondent fails to make a bona fide offering of goods or services or a noncommercial or fair use pursuant to Policy ¶¶ 4(c)(i) or (iii).
Complainant also demonstrates that the disputed domain name does not currently point to a functioning website. Non-use of a disputed domain name does not demonstrate rights or legitimate interests per Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) or ¶ 4(c)(iii). See Nutri/System IPHC, Inc. v. Usama Ayub, FA1725806 (Forum June 5, 2017) (holding that “Respondent does not use the <nutrisystemturbo.us> domain for a bona fide offering of goods or services because the domain name resolves to a website that currently is designated as ‘under construction.’”). Thus, the Panel finds that Respondent fails to use the disputed domain name for a bona fide offering of goods or services or for a legitimate noncommercial or fair use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) or Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii).
The Panel finds that Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).
Complainant argues that Respondent’s demand for payment in exchange for the transfer of the <bloomberglp.asia> domain name is evidence of bad faith. Complainant demonstrates that Respondent replied to a demand letter from Complainant with an offer to sell the domain name for $1 million, which it later lowered to $800,000, grossly over out-of-pocket costs. The Panel finds that this is evidence of bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(i). See Citigroup Inc. v. Kevin Goodman, FA1506001623939 (Forum July 11, 2015) (holding that the evidence showed that the respondent registered the disputed domain name primarily for the purpose of transferring it for a profit and demonstrates the respondent’s bad faith registration and use of the disputed domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(i).).
Complainant contends that Respondent must have had actual knowledge of the BLOOMBERG mark due to Complainant’s strong reputation, high-profile presence in financial and media sectors, and substantial consumer recognition and goodwill. Complainant also argues the inclusion of the letters “LP” in the domain name further indicates actual knowledge of Complainant’s business name and mark. The Panel agrees, also based on Respondent’s offer to sell the disputed domain name to Complainant, and finds that Respondent had actual of Complainant’s mark, demonstrating bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii). See Univision Comm'cns Inc. v. Norte, FA 1000079 (Forum Aug. 16, 2007) (rejecting the respondent's contention that it did not register the disputed domain name in bad faith since the panel found that the respondent had knowledge of the complainant's rights in the UNIVISION mark when registering the disputed domain name).
The Panel finds that Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii).
Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <bloomberglp.asia> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
Sandra J. Franklin, Panelist
Dated: January 25, 2018
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