Yahoo! Inc. v. John Zuccarini d/b/a
RaveClub Berlin d/b/a Cupcake Patrol
Claim
Number: FA0308000183997
Complainant is Yahoo! Inc., Sunnyvale, CA
(“Complainant”) represented by David M.
Kelly, of Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett &
Dunner, L.L.P. Respondent is John Zuccarini d/b/a RaveClub Berlin d/b/a Cupcake Patrol, Cherry Hill, NJ
(“Respondent”).
REGISTRAR
AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAMES
The
domain names at issue are <yahooemal.com>, <yaholigons.com>,
<yahomessenger.com>, <yahoofiance.com>, <yahoofinace.com>,
<yahoofreeporn.com>, <yahoogams.com>, <yahooilgans.com>,
<yahooligons.com>, <yohooligans.com>, and <yahoolagons.com>,
registered with Computer Services Langenbach Gmbh d/b/a Joker.Com.
The
undersigned certifies that she has acted independently and impartially and that
to the best of her knowledge she has no known conflict in serving as Panelist
in this proceeding. Hon. Carolyn Marks Johnson sits as Panelist.
Complainant
submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum (the "Forum")
electronically and by hard copy June 2, 2003.
In its Complaint, Complainant named several domain name registrants as
Respondent and requested transfer of fifty-nine domain names.
On
June 3, 2003, Computer Services Langenbach Gmbh d/b/a Joker.Com
("Joker.Com") confirmed by e-mail to the Forum that the domain names
<yahooemal.com>, <yaholigons.com>, <yahomessenger.com>,
<yahoofiance.com>, <yahoofinace.com>, <yahoofreeporn.com>,
<yahoogams.com>, <yahooilgans.com>, <yahooligons.com>,
<yohooligans.com>, and <yahoolagons.com> are registered with
Joker.Com and that the Respondent is the current registrant of the names. Joker.Com verified that Respondent is bound
by the Joker.Com registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve
domain-name disputes brought by third parties in accordance with ICANN's
Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy"). (The status of the other disputed domain
names, which are not here at issue, was also verified by the respective
registrars.)
On
June 16, 2003, the case was formally commenced and the Forum received an
informal e-mailed Response from Respondent John Zuccarini, with an e-mail
address of raveclub@berlin.com. In
Zuccarini’s e-mail, he asserted that he was not Peter Carrington, Party Night
Inc., Phayze Inc., or Music Wave (other named registrants in the first
Complaint). Zuccarini did not deny
using RaveClub Berlin or Cupcake Patrol as aliases. When asked by the Forum’s case coordinator whether he wished for
his e-mail to be treated as his formal Response, Zuccarini indicated that he
did not so wish.
On
July 17, 2003, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by
a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed Hon. Carolyn Marks Johnson as
Panelist.
Having
reviewed all documentation submitted, the Panel determined that the Complainant
submitted insufficient evidence to link all of the named registrants as
required by Rule 3(c). Accordingly, the
case was stayed pending re-filing by the Complainant so as to comply with Rule
3(c).
Complainant
submitted this Complaint to the Forum electronically August 14, 2003; the Forum
received a hard copy of the Complaint August 15, 2003.
On
August 21, 2003, a Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative
Proceeding (the "Commencement Notification"), setting a deadline of
September 10, 2003, by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint,
was transmitted to all registrants via e-mail, post and fax, to all entities
and persons listed on Respondent’s registrations as technical, administrative
and billing contacts, and to postmaster@yahooemal.com, postmaster@yaholigons.com,
postmaster@yahomessenger.com, postmaster@yahoofiance.com, postmaster@yahoofinace.com,
postmaster@yahoofreeporn.com, postmaster@yahoogams.com, postmaster@yahooilgans.com,
postmaster@yahooligons.com, postmaster@yohooligans.com, and postmaster@yahoolagons.com
by e-mail.
Having
received no further Response from any registrant, using the same contact
details and methods as were used for the Commencement Notification, the Forum
transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
Having
reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the
"Panel") finds that the Forum 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."
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 formal Response from Respondent.
Complainant
requests transfer of the domain names from Respondent to Complainant.
A. Complainant makes the following assertions:
1. John Zuccarini, Cupcake Patrol, and
RaveClub Berlin are one in the same:
John Zuccarini.
2. The domain names registered by Respondent,
<yahooemal.com>, <yaholigons.com>, <yahomessenger.com>,
<yahoofiance.com>, <yahoofinace.com>, <yahoofreeporn.com>,
<yahoogams.com>, <yahooilgans.com>, <yahooligons.com>,
<yohooligans.com>, and <yahoolagons.com>, are
confusingly similar to Complainant’s YAHOO! and YAHOOLIGANS! marks.
3. Respondent has no rights to or legitimate
interests in the <yahooemal.com>, <yaholigons.com>, <yahomessenger.com>,
<yahoofiance.com>, <yahoofinace.com>, <yahoofreeporn.com>,
<yahoogams.com>, <yahooilgans.com>, <yahooligons.com>,
<yohooligans.com>, and <yahoolagons.com> domain
names.
4. Respondent registered and used the <yahooemal.com>,
<yaholigons.com>, <yahomessenger.com>, <yahoofiance.com>,
<yahoofinace.com>, <yahoofreeporn.com>, <yahoogams.com>,
<yahooilgans.com>, <yahooligons.com>, <yohooligans.com>,
and <yahoolagons.com> domain names in bad faith.
B. Respondent did not submit a formal Response
in this proceeding.
Complainant
Yahoo! is a global Internet communications, media, and commerce company that
delivers Yahoo!-branded search, directory, information, communication, and
shopping services, as well as other online activities and features, to millions
of Internet users daily.
Complainant
holds a service mark and trademark in YAHOO! and conducts business at the
domain name <yahoo.com>.
Complainant has used the YAHOO! mark since as early as 1994 and
registered it on the Principal Register of the United States Patent and
Trademark Office at least by 1997.
Complainant also holds rights in the YAHOOLIGANS! mark, which was
registered as early as 1997.
Complainant
asserts that RaveClub Berlin and Cupcake Patrol are aliases of John
Zuccarini. In the case of the domain
names <yahooilgans.com>, <yahooligons.com>, and <yohooligans.com>,
Zuccarini registered the domain names, using his own name, but listing his
company as “Cupcake Patrol.” As to <yahoolagons.com>,
Zuccarini listed himself as the sole registrant. The remaining domain names were registered under the name
RaveClub Berlin, with a company name of either RaveClub Berlin or
RaveClub. Each of the RaveClub Berlin
domain names lists raveclub@berlin.com as its administrative, billing, and
technical contact. Zuccarini, having denied
using the aliases Peter Carrington, Party Night Inc., Phayze Inc., and Music
Wave, has not denied that RaveClub Berlin and RaveClub are his aliases.
In support of
its assertion that all named registrants are the same individual, Complainant
notes that all disputed domain names redirect users to the same web pages, that
all use the same name-server, and that all were registered with Joker.Com. Complainant also points to a Judgment and
Permanent Injunction Order entered in the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Pennsylvania, in which RaveClub Berlin and Cupcake Patrol
are identified as d/b/a names of John Zuccarini. See Fed. Trade Comm’n v. Zuccarini, No. 01-CV-4854 (E.D.
Penn. Apr. 9, 2002) available at
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2002/05/johnzuccarinijudandpi.pdf.
In light of
Zuccarini’s conspicuous failure to contest Complainant’s assertion that all
registrants here named are one in the same person, the Panel will accept
Complainant’s allegation to that effect as true. See 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”); see
also Charles Jourdan Holding AG v.
AAIM, D2000-0403 (WIPO June 27, 2000) (finding it appropriate for the Panel
to draw adverse inferences from Respondent’s failure to reply to the
Complaint); see also Desotec N.V.
v. Jacobi Carbons AB, D2000-1398 (WIPO Dec. 21, 2000) (finding that failing
to respond allows a presumption that Complainant’s allegations are true unless
clearly contradicted by the evidence).
Accordingly, the
Panel finds, for the purposes of this proceeding, that the named
registrants/Respondent are one in the same, and that Complainant has satisfied
ICANN Rule 3(c).
Respondent
registered all of the disputed domain names between March 2000 and May
2002. Since that time, all have been
used to redirect Internet users to <hanky-panky-college.com>, a
pornographic website. Visitors to
Respondent’s domain names are also confronted with a pop-up window that offers
Internet search services in competition with Complainant, at
<yes-yes-yes.com>. Complainant’s
evidence demonstrates that the <yes-yes-yes.com> domain name is
registered to John Zuccarini.
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."
In view of
Respondent's failure to submit a formal Response, the Panel shall decide this
administrative proceeding on the basis of Complainant's undisputed
representations pursuant to paragraphs 5(e), 14(a) and 15(a) of the Rules and
will draw such inferences as the Panel considers appropriate pursuant to
paragraph 14(b) of the Rules.
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.
Complainant has
sufficiently demonstrated its rights in the YAHOO! and YAHOOLIGANS! marks
through evidence of continuous use in commerce and registration.
Complainant
provides an e-mail service as well as features related to gaming and
finance. The <yahooemal.com>,
<yahoofiance.com>, <yahoofinace.com>, and <yahoogams.com>
are confusingly similar to Complainant’s YAHOO! mark as each fully incorporates
the term YAHOO (exclamation points cannot be registered in a domain name) and
adds a misspelled term that describes a service or feature provided by Complainant. See Wright & Lato, Inc. v. Epstein, D2000-0621 (WIPO Sept. 2, 2000) (finding that
the <wrightandlato.com> domain name is identical to Complainant’s WRIGHT
& LATO mark, because the ampersand symbol (&) is not reproducible in a
URL); see also Mrs. World
Pageants, Inc. v. Crown Promotions, FA 94321 (Nat. Arb. Forum Apr. 24,
2000) (finding that punctuation is not significant in determining the
similarity of a domain name and mark); see also Space
Imaging LLC v. Brownwell, AF-0298
(eResolution Sept. 22, 2000) (finding confusing similarity where Respondent’s
domain name combines Complainant’s mark with a generic term that has an obvious
relationship to Complainant’s business).
Similarly,
the <yahomessenger.com> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s
YAHOO! mark as it adds the word “messenger,” which describes a service offered
by Complainant, to a misspelled variation of Complainant’s mark. See Victoria’s Secret v. Zuccarini, FA 95762 (Nat. Arb. Forum Nov. 18,
2000) (finding that, by misspelling words and adding letters to words, a
Respondent does not create a distinct mark but nevertheless renders the domain
name confusingly similar to Complainant’s marks); see also Space Imaging LLC v. Brownwell, supra.
The <yahoofreeporn.com> domain name includes Complainant’s
entire YAHOO! mark (minus the “!”) and adds the phrase “freeporn.” Respondent appropriates Complainant’s entire
mark and uses the domain name to host pornographic materials, thus rendering
the domain name to be confusingly similar to the YAHOO! mark. See Arthur Guinness Son & Co. (Dublin) Ltd. v. Healy/BOSTH, D2001-0026 (WIPO Mar. 23, 2001) (finding
confusing similarity where the domain name in dispute contains the identical
mark of Complainant combined with a generic word or term).
The remaining
domain names, <yaholigons.com>, <yahoogams.com>, <yahooilgans.com>,
<yahooligons.com>, <yohooligans.com>, and <yahoolagons.com>,
all reflect probable Internet user misspellings of Complainant’s YAHOOLIGANS!
mark. Given the similarity of the
spelling of each to the others, it appears Respondent registered them
specifically because they are confusingly similar to Complainant’s YAHOOLIGANS!
mark. Minor variations in the spelling
of a protected mark will not defeat a claim of confusing similarity under the
Policy. See State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Try Harder & Co., FA 94730
(Nat. Arb. Forum June 15, 2000) (finding that the domain name
<statfarm.com> is confusingly similar to Complainant’s STATE FARM mark); see
also Toronto-Dominion Bank v.
Karpachev, D2000-1571 (WIPO Jan. 15, 2001)
(finding that the domain names <tdwatergouse.com> and
<dwaterhouse.com> are virtually identical to Complainant’s TD WATERHOUSE
name and mark); see also YAHOO!
Inc. v. Murray, D2000-1013 (WIPO Nov. 17, 2000) (finding that the domain
name <yawho.com> is confusingly similar to Complainant’s YAHOO mark); see
also Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Cupcake
City, FA 93562 (Nat. Arb. Forum Apr. 7, 2000) (finding that a domain name
which is phonetically identical to Complainant’s mark satisfies ¶ 4(a)(i) of
the Policy).
The Panel finds
that Complainant satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) as to each of the disputed domain
names.
Complainant
established that it has rights to and legitimate interests in the marks
contained within the disputed domain names.
Complainant asserts that it has not authorized Respondent to use, in any
way, its YAHOO! or YAHOOLIGANS! marks; and Respondent has not provided any
evidence that it holds trademark or service mark rights as to any of the
disputed domain names. Furthermore,
nothing in Complainant’s evidence or Respondent’s informal submission suggests
that Respondent could be commonly known by any of the disputed domain names. Accordingly, the Panel finds that Respondent
has no rights in any of the disputed domain names pursuant to Policy ¶
4(c)(ii). See Gallup Inc. v. Amish Country Store, FA
96209 (Nat. Arb. Forum Jan. 23, 2001) (finding that Respondent does not have
rights in a domain name when Respondent is not known by the mark); see also
MRA Holding, LLC v. Costnet, FA 140454 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 20, 2003)
(noting that “the
disputed domain name does not even correctly spell a cognizable phrase” in
finding that Respondent was not “commonly known by” the name GIRLS GON WILD or <girlsgonwild.com>);
see also Canadian Imperial Bank of
Commerce v. D3M Virtual Reality Inc., AF-0336 (eResolution Sept. 23, 2000)
(finding no rights or legitimate interests where no such right or interest was
immediately apparent to the Panel and Respondent did not come forward to
suggest any right or interest it may have possessed).
Respondent’s use
of the disputed domain names to redirect Internet users to pornographic
websites, where the names were selected specifically for the purpose of trading
on the goodwill of Complainant’s marks, cannot qualify as a bona fide offering
of goods or services or as a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the names
under the Policy. See Isleworth Land
Co. v. Lost In Space, SA, FA 117330 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sept. 27, 2002)
(finding that Respondent’s use of its domain name to link unsuspecting
Internet traffic to an adult-orientated website, containing images of scantily
clad women in provocative poses, did not constitute a connection with a bona
fide offering of goods or services or a noncommercial or fair use); see also
Paws, Inc. v. Zuccarini a/k/a Country Walk, FA 125368 (Nat. Arb. Forum Nov.
15, 2002) (holding that the use of a domain name that is confusingly similar to
an established mark to divert Internet users to an adult-oriented website
“tarnishes Complainant’s mark and does not evidence noncommercial or fair use
of the domain name by a respondent”).
Similarly,
Respondent’s efforts to redirect users seeking Complainant’s search engine
website to its own <yes-yes-yes.com> search engine does not demonstrate a
bona fide offering of goods or services or a legitimate noncommercial or fair
use. See Yahoo! Inc. v. Web Master
a/k/a MedGo, FA 127717 (Nat. Arb. Forum Nov. 27, 2002) (finding that
Respondent’s use of a confusingly similar domain name to operate a
pay-per-click search engine, in competition with Complainant, was not a bona
fide offering of goods or services); see also Computerized Sec. Sys., Inc.
d/b/a SAFLOK v. Hu, FA 157321 (Nat. Arb. Forum June 23, 2003) (holding that
Respondent’s appropriation of Complainant’s mark to market products that
compete with Complainant’s goods does not constitute a bona fide offering of
goods and services).
The Panel finds
that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests with respect to the
disputed domain names and that Complainant has established Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).
Respondent
registered eleven domain names reflecting misspellings of Complainant’s YAHOO!
and YAHOOLIGANS! marks. This constitutes a pattern of abusive registration that
can have no legitimate purpose. Rather,
Respondent is opportunistically attempting to trade on the goodwill built up in
Complainant’s marks. This behavior
demonstrates bad faith registration under the Policy. See Nat’l Ass’n of
Prof’l Baseball Leagues v. Zuccarini, D2002-1011 (WIPO Jan. 21,
2003) (“Typosquatting is the intentional misspelling of words with intent to
intercept and siphon off traffic from its intended destination, by preying on
Internauts who make common typing errors.
Typosquatting is inherently parasitic and of itself evidence of bad
faith”); see also L.L. Bean, Inc.
v. Cupcake Patrol, FA 96504 (Nat. Arb. Forum Mar. 12, 2001) (finding that
Respondent acted in bad faith by establishing a pattern of registering
misspellings of famous trademarks and names).
Furthermore,
Respondent’s use of the domain names for pornographic websites and to offer
search services in competition with Complainant demonstrate bad faith use as
contemplated by the Policy. See
Microsoft Corp. v. Horner, D2002-0029 (WIPO Feb. 27, 2002) (holding that
Respondent’s use of Complainant’s mark to post pornographic photographs and to
publicize hyperlinks to additional pornographic websites evidenced bad faith
use and registration of the domain name); see also Six Continents Hotels,
Inc. v. Nowak, D2003-0022 (WIPO March 4, 2003) (“whatever the motivation of
Respondent, the diversion of the domain name to a pornographic site is itself
certainly consistent with the finding that the Domain Name was registered and
is being used in bad faith”); see also Nat’l Ass’n of Stock Car Auto Racing,
Inc. v. RMG Inc – BUY or LEASE by E-MAIL, D2001-1387 (WIPO Jan. 23, 2002)
(“it is now well known that pornographers rely on misleading domain names to
attract users by confusion, in order to generate revenue from click-through
advertising, mouse-trapping, and other pernicious online marketing
techniques”); see also Busy Body,
Inc. v. Fitness Outlet, Inc., D2000-0127 WIPO Apr. 22, 2000) (finding bad
faith where Respondent attempted to attract customers to its website,
<efitnesswholesale.com>, and created confusion by offering similar
products for sale as Complainant); see also AltaVista v. Krotov, D2000-1091 (WIPO Oct. 25, 2000) (finding bad
faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv) where Respondent linked the domain name to a
website that offers a number of web services).
Complainant has
established 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 <yahooemal.com>, <yaholigons.com>,
<yahomessenger.com>, <yahoofiance.com>, <yahoofinace.com>,
<yahoofreeporn.com>, <yahoogams.com>, <yahooilgans.com>,
<yahooligons.com>, <yohooligans.com>, and <yahoolagons.com>
domain names be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
Hon. Carolyn Marks Johnson, Panelist
Dated: October 20, 2003.
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