DECISION

 

Robert Half Inc. v. [Name Redacted]

Claim Number: FA2501002137954

 

PARTIES

Complainant is Robert Half Inc. ("Complainant"), represented by Emily Ostreichof Foley & Lardner LLP, New York, USA. Respondent is [Name Redacted] ("Respondent"), represented by Christopher Kelly of Wiley Rein LLP, District of Columbia, USA.

 

REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME

The domain name at issue is <roberthalif.com>, registered with NameCheap, Inc.

 

PANEL

The undersigned certifies that they have acted independently and impartially and to the best of their knowledge have no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.

 

David S. Safran, as Panelist.

 

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Complainant submitted a Complaint to Forum electronically on January 30, 2025; Forum received payment on January 30, 2025.

 

On January 31, 2025, NameCheap, Inc. confirmed by e-mail to Forum that the <roberthalif.com> domain name is registered with NameCheap, Inc. and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. NameCheap, Inc. has verified that Respondent is bound by the NameCheap, Inc. 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 February 4, 2025, Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of February 24, 2025, 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@roberthalif.com. Also on February 4, 2025, 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.

 

A timely Response was received and determined to be complete on February 24, 2025.

 

On February 25, 2025, pursuant to the Parties' requests to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, Forum appointed David S. Safran, as Panelist.

 

Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that 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.

 

RELIEF SOUGHT

Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.

 

PRELIMINARY ISSUE: IDENTITY THEFT

In its Response, Respondent states that:

 

The registration information for <roberthalif.com> is false. [Name Redacted] has never registered any domain name, including the subject domain. Id. ¶ 5. [Name Redacted] has no control over the usage of <roberthalif.com>, the resulting webpage, or any email addresses using @roberthalif.com. Id. ¶ 6. [Name Redacted] has no knowledge of why she would be listed as the registrant of the subject domain, and has not granted any person or entity authorization to register or use domain names on her behalf.

 

The Panel is satisfied that Respondent had nothing to do with the registration of the <roberthalif.com> domain name, which was registered in the name of [Name Redacted] without the knowledge or authorization of [Name Redacted]. This constitutes identity theft.

 

Furthermore, the Panel recognizes Respondent's request that "any decision reflect that [Name Redacted] is not the true registrant of the subject domain name." Thus, accordingly, pursuant to Policy paragraph 4(j), the Panel determines it appropriate in the circumstances of this case that the name of the person listed in the WHOIS registration information in relation to the <roberthalif.com> domain name at the time of commencement of this proceeding (i.e. the Respondent, as defined in Rule 1) be redacted.

 

Accordingly, the Panel considers it appropriate to order the transfer without embarking on the traditional Policy analysis. See Disney Enters., Inc. v. Morales, FA 475191 (Forum June 24, 2005) ("[U]nder such circumstances, where Respondent has agreed to comply with Complainant's request, the Panel felt it to be expedient and judicial to forego the traditional UDRP analysis and order

the transfer of the domain names.").

 

PRELIMINARY ISSUE: CONSENT TO TRANSFER

It is clear from Respondent's Response of February 24, 2025, that Respondent consents to the transfer of the <roberthalif.com> domain name to Complainant. Accordingly, the Panel considers it appropriate to order the transfer without embarking on the traditional Policy analysis. See Disney Enters., Inc. v. Morales, FA 475191 (Forum June 24, 2005) ("[U]nder such circumstances, where Respondent has agreed to comply with Complainant's request, the Panel felt it to be expedient and judicial to forego the traditional UDRP analysis and order the transfer of the domain names.").

 

DECISION

Respondent having consented to the transfer of the domain name to Complainant, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.

 

Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <roberthalif.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.

 

                

 

David S. Safran, Panelist

Dated: March 10, 2025