American International Group, Inc. v. SPSF
Claim Number: FA0804001175191
Complainant is American International Group, Inc. (“Complainant”), represented by Claudia
W.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN
NAME
The domain name at issue is <aiginsurancegroup.org>, registered with GoDaddy.
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.
Terry F. Peppard as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum electronically on April 3, 2008; the National Arbitration Forum received a hard copy of the Complaint on April 4, 2008.
On April 4, 2008, GoDaddy confirmed by e-mail to the National Arbitration Forum that the <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name is registered with GoDaddy and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. GoDaddy has verified that Respondent is bound by the GoDaddy 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 April 11, 2008, a Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the "Commencement Notification"), setting a deadline of May 1, 2008 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@aiginsurancegroup.org by e-mail.
Having received no response from Respondent, the National Arbitration Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
On May 7, 2008, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the National Arbitration Forum appointed Terry F. Peppard as sole Panelist in this proceeding.
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:
Complainant is a worldwide leader in insurance and financial services.
Complainant has used the AIG mark in connection with its business since 1968.
Complainant holds numerous trademark registrations for the AIG mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), including that associated with Reg. No. 1,151,229, issued Apr. 14, 1981.
Respondent registered the disputed <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name on October 25, 2007.
The <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name currently resolves to a website displaying third-party links in direct competition with Complainant’s business.
Respondent has never been authorized to use the AIG mark, and Respondent is not and has never been commonly known by the disputed domain name.
Respondent’s <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s AIG mark.
Respondent does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the domain name <aiginsurancegroup.org>.
Respondent registered and uses the <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name in bad faith.
B. Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
(1) the domain name registered by Respondent is confusingly similar to a trademark in which Complainant has rights; and
(2) Respondent has no rights to or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
(3) the same domain name was registered and is being used by Respondent 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."
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 a 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:
i. the domain name registered by Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights; and
ii. Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
iii. the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
There is no dispute as to Complainant’s allegation that it has
registered the AIG mark with the USPTO. Therefore, Complainant has established rights
to the mark pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).
See Clear!Blue Holdings, L.L.C. v. NaviSite, Inc., FA 888071 (Nat. Arb. Forum Mar. 5, 2007):
“The Panel finds that Complainant has established trademark rights in the CLEAR
BLUE marks through introduction of the certificates for its
Complainant contends that the <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name is confusingly similar to the AIG mark. Respondent does not contest this allegation. The addition of the generic terms “insurance” and “group” to the mark are insufficient to distinguish the domain name from the mark because the generic terms describe Complainant’s business. See Space Imaging LLC v. Brownell, AF-0298 (eResolution Sept. 22, 2000) (finding confusing similarity where a respondent’s domain name combines a complainant’s mark with a generic term that has an obvious relationship to that complainant’s business).
Likewise, because domain names are required to have a top-level domain, Respondent’s use of the generic top-level domain (“gTLD”) “.org” does not distinguish the disputed domain name from Complainant’s mark. See Gardline Surveys Ltd. v. Domain Fin. Ltd., FA 153545 (Nat. Arb. Forum May 27, 2003):
The
addition of a top-level domain is irrelevant when establishing whether or not a
mark is identical or confusingly similar, because top-level domains are a
required element of every domain name.
Therefore, we conclude that the <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s AIG mark pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).
Complainant claims that Respondent has neither rights to nor legitimate interests in the disputed domain name under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii). Complainant has the initial burden of showing the Respondent does not have rights to or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. Once Complainant has made out a prima facie case showing that Respondent lacks such rights and interests, the burden shifts to Respondent to show that it has sufficient rights or interests in the domain name to satisfy the Policy. See Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires v. Greenpeace Int’l, D2001-0376 (WIPO May 14, 2001):
Proving
that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the
Domain Name requires the Complainant to prove a negative. For the purposes of
this sub paragraph, however, it is sufficient for the Complainant to show a
prima facie case and the burden of proof is then shifted on to the shoulders of
Respondent. In those circumstances, the
common approach is for respondents to seek to bring themselves within one of
the examples of paragraph 4(c) or put forward some other reason why they can
fairly be said to have a relevant right or legitimate interests in respect of
the domain name in question.
See also Clerical Med. Inv. Group Ltd. v. Clericalmedical.com, D2000-1228 (WIPO Nov. 28, 2000) (finding that, under appropriate circumstances, the assertion by a complainant that a respondent has no right or legitimate interest in a disputed domain name is sufficient to shift the burden of proof to that respondent to demonstrate that such a right or legitimate interest exists).
Complainant has met the initial burden of showing that
Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in its domain name under
Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii). And, because
Respondent has failed to answer the Complaint, we may presume that Respondent
lacks all rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. See Am. Express
Co. v. Fang Suhendro, FA 129120 (Nat. Arb.
Forum Dec. 30, 2002):
[B]ased on Respondent's failure to respond, it is presumed
that Respondent lacks all rights and legitimate interests in the disputed
domain name.
See also Desotec N.V. v. Jacobi Carbons AB, D2000-1398 (WIPO Dec. 21, 2000) (finding that failing to respond allows a presumption that a complainant’s allegations are true unless clearly contradicted by the evidence). Nevertheless, we will examine the evidence in the record to determine if there is any basis for concluding that Respondent has rights to or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name under Policy ¶ 4(c).
We begin by noting that Complainant asserts, and Respondent does not deny, that Respondent has never been authorized to use the AIG mark and Respondent is not and never has been commonly known by the disputed domain name. Further, the pertinent WHOIS information does not indicate that Respondent is commonly known by the disputed domain name. Thus, we may conclude that Respondent is not commonly known by the <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii). See Tercent Inc. v. Lee Yi, FA 139720 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 10, 2003) (stating that the fact that “nothing in Respondent’s WHOIS information implies that Respondent is ‘commonly known by’ the disputed domain name” is s factor in determining that Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii) does not apply); see also Gallup, Inc. v. Amish Country Store, FA 96209 (Nat. Arb. Forum Jan. 23, 2001) (finding that a respondent does not have rights in a domain name when that respondent is not known by the mark).
We also observe that there is no dispute as to complainant’s allegation to the effect that Respondent uses the <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name to advertise links to third-party competitors of Complainant’s business. Such use is neither a bona fide offering of goods or services under Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) nor a legitimate noncommercial or fair use under Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii). See DLJ Long Term Inv. Corp. v. BargainDomainNames.com, FA 104580 (Nat. Arb. Forum Apr. 9, 2002): “Respondent is not using the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods and services because Respondent is using the domain name to divert Internet users to <visual.com>, where services that compete with Complainant are advertised.” See also Ameritrade Holdings Corp. v. Polanski, FA 102715 (Nat. Arb. Forum Jan. 11, 2002) (finding that a respondent’s use of a disputed domain name to redirect Internet users to a financial services website, which competed with the business of a complainant, was not a bona fide offering of goods or services within the meaning of the Policy).
The Panel thus finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii) has been satisfied.
We are entitled to and do presume from the facts alleged
that Respondent gains financially via click-through fees for each Internet user
who accesses the links carried on the web site that resolves from the disputed
domain name. Thus Respondent’s use of
the <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain
name to constitutes bad faith registration and use under Policy ¶
4(b)(iii). See Disney Enters., Inc. v. Noel, FA 198805 (Nat. Arb. Forum Nov. 11, 2003):
Respondent registered a domain name confusingly similar to
Complainant's mark to divert Internet users to a competitor's website. It is a
reasonable inference that Respondent's purpose of registration and use was to
either disrupt or create confusion for Complainant's business in bad faith
pursuant to Policy ¶¶ 4(b)(iii) [and] (iv).
See also S. Exposure v. S. Exposure, Inc., FA 94864 (Nat. Arb. Forum July 18, 2000) (finding that a respondent acted in bad faith by attracting Internet users to a website that competed with a complainant’s business).
In addition, it appears that Respondent registered the <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name with at least constructive knowledge of
Complainant’s rights in the AIG trademark by virtue of Complainant’s prior
registration of that mark with the United States Patent and Trademark
Office. Registration of a confusingly
similar domain name despite such constructive knowledge is, without more,
evidence of bad faith registration and use of the domain name pursuant to
Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii). See Digi Int’l v. DDI Sys.,
FA 124506 (Nat. Arb. Forum Oct. 24, 2002); see also Orange Glo Int’l v. Blume, FA 118313 (Nat. Arb.
Forum Oct. 4, 2002).
For these reasons, the Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii) has been satisfied.
Complainant having established all three elements required to be proven under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that the relief requested must be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <aiginsurancegroup.org> domain name be TRANSFERRED forthwith from Respondent to Complainant.
Terry F. Peppard, Panelist
Dated: May 16, 2008
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