United Services Automobile Association v. Jason Cox
Claim Number: FA0608000785541
Complainant is United Services Automobile Association (“Complainant”), represented by Carol L. B. Matthews, of Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C., 1940 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Respondent is Jason Cox (“Respondent”), 312 Laguna Seca Ln, Albuquerque, NM 87104.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN
NAME
The domain name at issue is <1usaainsurance60.info>, registered with Moniker Online Services Inc.
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.
Judge Ralph Yachnin as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum electronically on August 28, 2006; the National Arbitration Forum received a hard copy of the Complaint on August 29, 2006.
On September 5, 2006, Moniker Online Services Inc. confirmed by e-mail to the National Arbitration Forum that the <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name is registered with Moniker Online Services Inc. and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. Moniker Online Services Inc. has verified that Respondent is bound by the Moniker Online Services Inc. 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").
On September 8, 2006, a Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the "Commencement Notification"), setting a deadline of September 28, 2006 by which Respondent could file a response to the Complaint, was transmitted to Respondent via e-mail, post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative and billing contacts, and to postmaster@1usaainsurance60.info by e-mail.
Having received no response from Respondent, the National Arbitration Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
On October 6, 2006 pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the National Arbitration Forum appointed Judge Ralph Yachnin as Panelist.
Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that the National Arbitration 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." Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the ICANN Policy, ICANN Rules, the National Arbitration 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 makes the following assertions:
1. Respondent’s <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s USAA mark.
2. Respondent does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name.
3. Respondent registered and used the <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name in bad faith.
B. Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
Complainant, United Services Automobile Association, is an unincorporated financial services company and reciprocal inter-insurance exchange. In connection with these services, Complainant holds a trademark registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) for the USAA mark (Reg. No. 806,520 issued March 29, 1966).
Respondent registered the <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name on December 6, 2005. Respondent is using the disputed domain name to redirect Internet users to Respondent’s commercial website that features Google advertisements and links to a variety of websites related and unrelated to 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."
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(e), 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 (Nat. Arb. 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.”).
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 established rights in the USAA mark through
registration of the mark with the USPTO.
America Online,
Inc. v. Thomas P. Culver Enters.,
D2001-0564 (WIPO June 18, 2001) (finding that successful trademark registration
with the USPTO creates a presumption of rights in a mark); see also
Vivendi Universal Games v. XBNetVentures Inc., FA 198803 (Nat. Arb. Forum
Nov. 11, 2003) (“Complainant's federal trademark registrations establish
Complainant's rights in the BLIZZARD mark.”).
Respondent’s <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s USAA mark because Respondent’s domain name incorporates Complainant’s mark in its entirety and adds the numbers “1” and “60” and the term “insurance.” The Panel finds that such minor additions to Complainant’s registered mark do not negate the confusingly similar aspects of Respondent’s domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See Am. Online, Inc. v. iDomainNames.com, FA 93766 (Nat. Arb. Forum Mar. 24, 2000) (finding that the respondent’s domain name <go2AOL.com> was confusingly similar to the complainant’s AOL mark); see also 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 the complainant combined with a generic word or term).
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) has been satisfied.
Complainant established that it has rights to and legitimate interests in the mark contained in its entirety in the disputed domain name. Complainant has alleged that Respondent does not have rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. Under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii) the burden is on Complainant to prove Respondent does not have rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. Once Complainant has made a prima facie case, the burden then shifts to Respondent to show that it does have rights or legitimate interests pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c). See Do The Hustle, LLC v. Tropic Web, D2000-0624 (WIPO Aug. 21, 2000) (once the complainant asserts that the respondent has no rights or legitimate interests with respect to the domain, the burden shifts to the respondent to provide “concrete evidence that it has rights to or legitimate interests in the domain name at issue”); see also Clerical Med. Inv. Group Ltd. v. Clericalmedical.com, D2000-1228 (WIPO Nov. 28, 2000) (finding that, under certain circumstances, the mere assertion by the complainant that the respondent has no right or legitimate interest is sufficient to shift the burden of proof to the respondent to demonstrate that such a right or legitimate interest does exist).
The <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name is
confusingly similar to Complainant’s USAA mark and is used to redirect Internet
users to Respondent’s commercial website that features Google advertisements
and links to a variety of websites related and unrelated to Complainant. The Panel finds that Respondent’s use of a
domain name that includes Complainant’s entire mark to divert Internet users to
a website that links to third-party websites related and unrelated to
Complainant, and for which Respondent presumably receives click-through fees,
is not a bona fide offering of goods or services pursuant to Policy ¶
4(c)(i), or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii). See eBay Inc. v. Hong, D2000-1633
(WIPO Jan. 18, 2001) (stating that the respondent’s use of the complainant’s
entire mark in domain names makes it difficult to infer a legitimate use); see
also Bank of Am. Corp. v. Nw. Free Cmty. Access, FA 180704 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sept. 30, 2003) (“Respondent's
demonstrated intent to divert Internet users seeking Complainant's website to a
website of Respondent and for Respondent's benefit is not a bona fide offering
of goods or services under Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) and it is not a legitimate
noncommercial or fair use under Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii).”); see also MSNBC Cable, LLC v. Tysys.com,
D2000-1204 (WIPO Dec. 8, 2000) (finding no rights or legitimate interests in
the famous MSNBC mark where the respondent attempted to profit using the
complainant’s mark by redirecting Internet traffic to its own website).
Moreover, Complainant asserts, without contradiction from Respondent, that Respondent is neither commonly known by the <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name nor authorized to use a domain name featuring Complainant’s mark. Thus, the Panel finds that Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii). See Charles Jourdan Holding AG v. AAIM, D2000-0403 (WIPO June 27, 2000) (finding no rights or legitimate interests where (1) a respondent is not a licensee of a complainant; (2) complainant’s prior rights in the domain name precede that respondent’s domain name registration; (3) that respondent is not commonly known by the domain name in question); see also Compagnie de Saint Gobain v. Com-Union Corp., D2000-0020 (WIPO Mar. 14, 2000) (finding no rights or legitimate interests where a respondent was not commonly known by the mark and never applied for a license or permission from a complainant to use the trademarked name).
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii) has been satisfied.
The <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name resolves to Respondent’s commercial website that features Google advertisements and links to a variety of websites related and unrelated to Complainant. The Panel presumes that Respondent receives commissions for diverting Internet users to related and unrelated third-party websites. Additionally, Respondent’s use of Complainant’s USAA mark in the domain name creates a likelihood of confusion and suggests an attempt to attract Internet users to Respondent’s website for Respondent’s commercial gain. The Panel finds that this is evidence of Respondent’s bad faith registration and use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv). See Am. Univ. v. Cook, FA 208629 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 22, 2003) (“Registration and use of a domain name that incorporates another's mark with the intent to deceive Internet users in regard to the source or affiliation of the domain name is evidence of bad faith.”); see also G.D. Searle & Co. v. Celebrex Drugstore, FA 123933 (Nat. Arb. Forum Nov. 21, 2002) (finding that the respondent registered and used the domain name in bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv) because the respondent was using the confusingly similar domain name to attract Internet users to its commercial website).
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii) has been satisfied.
Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <1usaainsurance60.info> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
Hon. Ralph Yachnin, Panelist
Justice, Supreme Court, NY (Ret.)
Dated: October 19, 2006
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