Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG v. visucom ag et al.
Claim Number: FA1412001592905
Complainant: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany.
Complainant Representative:
Complainant Representative: Lichtenstein, Körner and Partners of Stuttgart, Unknown, Germany.
Respondent: visucom ag of Brig, International, CH.
Respondent Representative: /
REGISTRIES and REGISTRARS
Registries: United TLD Holdco Ltd.
Registrars: united-domains AG
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 Examiner in this proceeding.
Bart Van Besien, as Examiner.
Complainant submitted: December 2, 2014
Commencement: December 3, 2014
Default Date: December 18, 2014
Having reviewed the communications records, the Examiner finds that the National Arbitration Forum has discharged its responsibility under URS Procedure Paragraphs 3 and 4 and Rule 4 of the Rules for the Uniform Rapid Suspension System (the "Rules").
Complainant requests that the domain name be suspended for the life of the registration.
Clear and convincing evidence.
Complainant is the owner of a US trademark “Porsche” (Registration number 0618933; registration date 10 January 1956; renewed; goods or services: automobiles and parts thereof). Complainant also owns a US trademark "Porsche Design" (Registration number 1292660; registration date: 4 September 1984; renewed; goods or services: Sunglasses, Watches). Complainant has provided evidence of these trademark registrations and of an effective use of these trademarks.
According to Complainant, Respondent has no relationship with Complainant, is no licensee of Complainant and has not been authorized by Complainant to use the Complainant’s trademarks. Respondent did not contradict the Complainant’s statement.
The webpage currently available at the domain name “Porsche.kaufen” is a parked domain mentioning the following text (in German): “Hier entsteht die Webpräsenz porsche.kaufen. Bislang wurden noch keine Inhalte hinterlegt, Sie können uns jedoch über das nachfolgende Formular erreichen. Wir freuen uns auf Ihr Schreiben!”
The webpage currently available at the domain name “Porsche-design.kaufen” is a parked domain mentioning the following text (in German): “Diese neue Domain wurde im Kundenauftrag registriert. Warum wird diese Seite angezeigt? Diese Seite wurde automatisch erstellt. Sie wird bei jeder neuen Domain hinterlegt und zeigt, dass die neue Domain erreichbar ist. Ohne diese Platzhalter-Seite würden Besucher eine Fehlermeldung erhalten. Als Kunde von united-domains können Sie diese Domain in Ihrem Domain-Portfolio jederzeit selbst online konfigurieren (z.B. Web-Weiterleitungen, E-Mail-Einstellungen, Webspace hinzubuchen, DNS-Einträge ändern).
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Even though the Respondent has defaulted, URS Procedure 1.2.6, requires Complainant to make a prima facie case, proven by clear and convincing evidence, for each of the following three elements to obtain an order that a domain name should be suspended.
[URS 1.2.6.1] The registered domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a word mark:
(i) for which the Complainant holds a valid national or regional registration and that is in current use; or
(ii) that has been validated through court proceedings; or
(iii) that is specifically protected by a statute or treaty in effect at the time the URS complaint is filed.
Determined: Finding for Complainant
URS 1.2.6.1 (i) covers the domain names at issue in this case. The domain names consist of the Complainant’s trademarks “Porsche” and “Porsche Design” (with generic “-“) paired with the generic domain “.kaufen” (meaning: “buying”).
[URS 1.2.6.2] Registrant has no legitimate right or interest to the domain name.
Determined: Finding for Complainant
Respondent did not file a response and did not provide evidence of legitimate rights or interests in the domain names. There is no evidence of any rights or legitimate interests of the Respondent in the disputed domain names. There is no evidence of any similar or identical trademarks owned by the Respondent. There is no indication of any authorization to use the Complainant’s trademarks (on the contrary, the Complainant denies any such authorization). There is no indication that the Respondent is otherwise related to the Complainant’s business (the Complainant explicitly denies any such relationship).
[URS 1.2.6.3] The domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
a. Registrant has registered or acquired the domain name primarily for the purpose of selling, renting or otherwise transferring the domain name registration to the complainant who is the owner of the trademark or service mark or to a competitor of that complainant, for valuable consideration in excess of documented out-of pocket costs directly related to the domain name; or
b. Registrant has registered the domain name in order to prevent the trademark holder or service mark from reflecting the mark in a corresponding domain name, provided that Registrant has engaged in a pattern of such conduct; or
c. Registrant registered the domain name primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor; or
d. By using the domain name Registrant has intentionally attempted to attract for commercial gain, Internet users to Registrant’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 Registrant’s web site or location or of a product or service on that web site or location.
Determined: Finding for Complainant
URS 1.2.6.3 (a) and (b) are applicable here.
The Complainant states that the Respondent has registered numerous domain names related to the auto industry (see list of 15 “.kaufen” domain names mentioned in the Complaint, similar to the “Porsche.kaufen” domain). The Respondent does not contest this. URS 1.2.6.3 (b) applies to the domain name “Porsche.kaufen”.
The website currently available at the domain name “Porsche-design.kaufen” mentions: “Diese neue Domain wurde im Kundenauftrag registriert.“ (English translation: “This new domain has been registered on behalf of the customer.”). However, the Respondent does not seem to have any relationship with the Complainant and has not been authorized to use or register the trademark(s) of the Customer as a domain name. The website currently available at the domain name “Porsche-design.kaufen” also mentions: “Als Kunde von united-domains können Sie diese Domain in Ihrem Domain-Portfolio jederzeit selbst online konfigurieren“ (English translation: “As a customer of united-domains, you can configure this domain in your domain portfolio at any time online”). This creates at least the impression that Complainant has to become a customer of “united-domains” to be able to “configure” the domain name to its own portfolio. URS 1.2.6.3 (a) applies to the domain name “Porsche-design.kaufen”.
There are no circumstances known to the Examiner that refute the claim of bad faith registration or bad faith use.
The Examiner finds that the Complaint was neither abusive nor contained material falsehoods. The Examiner finds the Complaint well founded. No Response was submitted.
After reviewing the Complainant’s submissions, the Examiner determines that
the Complainant has demonstrated all three elements of the URS by a standard of clear and convincing evidence; the Examiner hereby Orders the following domain names be SUSPENDED for the duration of the registration.
Bart Van Besien, Examiner
Dated: December 22, 2014
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