Source: https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=D2011-2039
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 08:23:26+00:00

Document:
The Respondent is Mr. Kurt of Izmir, Turkey.
The disputed domain name <shopturkcell.com> is registered with Melbourne IT Ltd.
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on November 18, 2011. On November 18, 2011, the Center transmitted by email to Melbourne IT Ltd. a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On November 21, 2011, Melbourne IT Ltd. transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details.
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on November 24, 2011. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was December 14, 2011. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent’s default on December 15, 2011.
The Center appointed Selma Ünlü as the sole panelist in this matter on January 12, 2012. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.
(1) The Complainant, Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. (“Turkcell”) is the leading GSM based mobile operator in Turkey established in 1994 and having agreements with 541 operators in 193 countries as of March 23, 2007.
(2) The Complainant registered TURKCELL service marks number 173130 and 174691 before the Turkish Patent Institute on September 9, 1996. Apart from this, the Complainant has registered other TURKCELL trade and service marks before the TPI.
(3) The Complainant owns TURKCELL ILETIŞIM HIZMETLERI A.S Community Trademark No. 002525194, registered on June 6, 2003.
(4) The Turkish Patent Institute recognized the “TURKCELL Logo” as a well-known trademark in 2008.
(5) “Turkcell” is the trade name of the Complainant.
(6) The Complainant owns domain name <turkcell.com.tr> since November 10, 1996.
(1) The disputed domain name was inactive and the website showed an error page, when the Panel visited it on January 21, 2011.
(2) The Complainant’s “www.turkcell.com.tr” website is well-known, containing information about various offers and campaigns as well as links to its other online services, such as top-up.
(3) The disputed domain name is apparently registered under a false identity and address, since the postal code refers to Istanbul, though the city indicated in the available contact information is İzmir.
The Complainant alleges that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the TURKCELL trademarks of the Complainant. The Complainant also alleges that the disputed domain name contains its well-known TURKCELL trademark as a whole and a descriptive and generic word “shop”. In other words, the Complainant argues that its distinctive phrase “Turkcell” is exactly and entirely incorporated into the disputed domain name.
The Complainant also refers to SABEL/PUMA case (C-251/95 of November 11, 1997), where the European Court of Justice held that “[i]n determining the existence of likelihood of confusion, trademarks have to be compared by making an overall assessment of the visual phonetic and conceptual similarities between the marks. The Comparison must be based on the overall impression given by the marks, bearing in mind, in particular, their distinctive and dominant components”.
As a summary, the Complainant argues that the addition of the generic term “shop” does not avoid the confusion in the mind of the public; on the contrary, it gives the impression to consumers as if it sells the Complainant’s products.
The Complainant alleges that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name since (i) the Respondent does not have earlier rights for the “Turkcell” phrase, (ii) is not a licensee of the Complainant, and (iii) does not have the Complainant’s authorisation to use the TURKCELL trade and service mark.
The Complainant also argues that the Respondent was fully aware of the Complainant’s TURKCELL marks at the time it registered the disputed domain name. TURKCELL is well-known company and trademark and since the Respondent is a Turkish citizen and resides in Turkey, it is not possible for it to be unaware of the Complainant and its TURKCELL trademarks.
The Complainant refers to several WIPO cases and indicates that the disputed domain name was registered for the purpose of selling, renting or other transferring the domain name registration to the trademark owner for valuable consideration in excess of the registrant’s out-of-pocket costs since the Respondent put a sale note to the address section in the publicly available WhoIs.
Further, the Complainant argues that, since TURKCELL is a well-known mark, it is difficult to imagine that when the Respondent registered the disputed domain name it was not aware of the Complainant’s TURKCELL mark.
Finally, the Complainant states that the Respondent’s passive holding of the disputed domain name indicates that the Respondent registered the disputed domain name for the purpose of selling it to the Complainant. Therefore, the Complainant argues that the incorporation of a famous mark into a domain name, coupled with an inactive website, may be evidence of bad faith registration and use (see Telstra Corporation Limited v. Nuclear Marshmallows, WIPO Case No. D2000-0003 and CBS Broadcasting, Inc. v. Dennis Toeppen, WIPO Case No. D2000-0400).
The test for identical or confusing similarity under paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy is limited in scope to a direct comparison between the Complainant’s trademark and the textual string which comprises the disputed domain name. In this case, the Complainant has demonstrated registered rights in the TURKCELL trademark.
Considering that (i) the disputed domain name was registered on September 11, 2010, (ii) the Complainant’s trademarks, which date back to 1996, contain “Turkcell” phrase, (iii) the Complainant well proved its well-known status and rights in TURKCELL, the Panel evaluates this matter by examining the similarity between the Complainant’s TURKCELL trademarks and the disputed domain name. The disputed domain name contains the TURKCELL trademark and a descriptive word “shop”.
In similar cases, the panels have found that adding descriptive words does not avoid the likelihood of confusion between a trademark and a domain name incorporating said trademark. See e.g. Sanofi-Aventis v. Gideon Kimbrell, WIPO Case No. D2010-1559, Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. v. Vural Kavak, WIPO Case No. D2010-0010, Greenbrier IA, Inc. v. Moniker Privacy Services/Jim Lyons, WIPO Case No. D2010-0017 and Zodiac Marine & Pool, Avon Inflatables Ltd and Zodiac of North America Inc. v. Mr. Tim Green, WIPO Case No. D2010-0024.
Accordingly, the Panel finds that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant’s TURKCELL trademark and, thus, the first requirement under paragraph 4(a) of the Policy is fulfilled.
The burden of proof lays on the Complainant who must demonstrate a prima facie case that the Respondent does not have rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. Once the Complainant has made out a prima facie case, then the Respondent may, inter alia, by showing one of the above elements, prove rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.
The Panel finds that the Complainant has proved its rights in the TURKCELL mark, the earliest registration of which dates back to 1996. The Panel also finds that the Complainant sufficiently demonstrated the fact that the Respondent does not have rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name for the purpose of the Policy. The Complainant has not granted the Respondent any right or license to use the TURKCELL trade/service mark.
The Panel notes that the Respondent has not provided evidence of the circumstances of the type specified in paragraph 4(c) of the Policy, or of any other circumstances giving rise to a right or legitimate interest in the disputed domain name. Thus, the Panel finds that the Respondent failed to show that it has rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.
In this sense, based on the content of the submitted evidence, the Panel holds that the use of the TURKCELL mark has not been authorized or licensed to the Respondent, the disputed domain name does not obviously correspond to the Respondent’s name or a trade name by which it has become commonly known and the Respondent cannot be regarded as using the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services.
Hence, as there is not indication of the existence of any rights or legitimate interests of the Respondent to the disputed domain name, the Panel concludes that the Complainant has satisfied the requirements of paragraph 4(a)(ii) of the Policy.
(iv) by using the disputed domain name, the Respondent has intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to its web site or other online location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainant’s mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of the Respondent’s website or location or of a product or service on the Respondent’s web site or location.
(ii) the Respondent has not proven any good faith use; instead, he has actively provided an incomplete identity and contact detail which constitutes a breach of the registration agreement as well.
In relation to the contact details of the Respondent, the Panel is of the opinion that the Respondent tries to hide its true identity by providing an incomplete name and false contact address since the mail delivery company could not deliver the post to the address indicated in the WhoIs. Therefore, the post could not be delivered to the Respondent due to the absence of correct contact information. Therefore, the Panel refers to Ticketmaster Corporation v. Dmitri Prem, WIPO Case No. D2000-1550 where the panel held that “[i]n the absence of explanation, the omission of significant information may be taken to amount to bad faith in securing a domain name registration.” As it has been held in various UDRP decisions, incomplete contact information provided by the Respondent and attempts to hide true identity can constitute bad faith. See also Miss Universe L.P., LLLP v. Domainsrin, WIPO Case No. D2010-1643 and Park Place Entertainment Corporation v. Bowno, WIPO Case No. D2001-1410.
By consideration of the foregoing and in view of the content of the evidence, the Panel is of the opinion that, due to the extensive and intensive usage of TURKCELL marks by the Complainant, the Respondent, who appears to be located in Turkey, cannot be unaware of the existence of the Complaint and its TURKCELL trademark. See, e.g., Ebay Inc. v. Wangming, WIPO Case No. D2006-1107; General Electric Company v. CPIC NET and Hussain Syed, WIPO Case No. D2001-0087.
The Panel is therefore convinced that the disputed domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith and that the Complainant has fulfilled the third element under paragraph 4(a) of the Policy.
For the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the disputed domain name <shopturkcell.com> be transferred to the Complainant.

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