Source: https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=D2010-1463
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 16:36:16+00:00

Document:
The Respondent is Link Comercial Corp of Punta Del Este, Maldonado, Uruguay.
The disputed domain name <chevroletdealers.com> is registered with Network Solutions, LLC.
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on September 1, 2010. On September 1, 2010, the Center transmitted by email to Network Solutions, LLC. a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On September 1, 2010 Network Solutions, LLC. transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact.
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 September 6, 2010. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was September 26, 2010. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent’s default on September 27, 2010.
The Center appointed Christian Pirker as the sole panelist in this matter on October 5, 2010. 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.
After reading the Complaint, the Panel noticed that there was evidence missing about the trademarks allegedly owned by the Complainant. Thus, the Panel decided to issue an Administrative Panel Procedural Order requiring the Complainant to produce the evidence and an amendment. The order, issued on October 19, 2010, fixed a deadline of October, 25, 2010, for the Complainant to comply with the order and of October 30, 2010, for the Respondent to submit its comments. The Complainant filed some evidence on October 22, 2010. The Panel and the Center have not received any submissions or supporting evidence from the Defendant in reply to the submissions filed by the Complainant as requested by the administrative panel order No. 1.
The Complainant, General Motors LLC, is world-renowned as an automobile manufacturing company and one of the world’s largest automakers. General Motors LLC sales cars and trucks globally under the following brands: BUICK, CADILLAC, GMC, GM DAEWOO, HUMMER, OPEL AND CHEVROLET.
General Motors LLC is the worldwide owner of the trademark and service mark CHEVROLET which is registered alone and in combination with other words and/or designs and is extensively used by Complainant throughout the world to designate all kinds of vehicle ranging from cars to trucks and for various other associated products and services.
The CHEVROLET mark has been used by the Complainant and its predecessors since 1911. The Complainant submitted, in support of its Complaint against the Respondent, a list and copies of numerous trademark registrations among others in the United States; Uruguay; Australia; Portugal; Algeria; Bahrain; Brazil; China; Denmark; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Germany; Greece; India, Israel; Jamaica; Mexico; New-Zealand; Spain; Russia; Papua New Guinean; Thailand; Switzerland; Sweden; United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.
- United States Trademark Registration No 216070 CHEVROLET, in Class 19, registered in August 3, 1926.
- International Trademark Registration No 647235 CHEVROLET, in Class 37, registered in June 18 1956, for Building construction; repair; and installation services.
- United States Trademark Registration No 1471518 CHEVROLET, in Class 28, registered in January 5, 1988, in international class 28, for Games and playthings; gymnastic and sporting articles; decorations for Christmas trees.
In 1995, the Complainant also registered the trademark CHEVROLET in Denmark in international classes 18, 25 and 28, in 1996 in Ecuador and in 1997, in Portugal, in international class 12.
On July 2, 1997, Respondent registered the disputed domain name <CHEVROLETDEALERS.COM> with the Registrar.
The Complainant alleges that it owns over 1000 worldwide trademark registrations for the trademark CHEVROLET or containing “Chevrolet” that it has a strong internet presence and has registered and uses numerous domain names containing the name “Chevrolet”.
The Complainant asserts that further to its long and extensive use of the CHEVROLET trademark throughout the world for vehicles, and for a broad range of other related products, the trademark CHEVROLET has gained notoriety over the years and become a worldwide renowned trademark.
1) In respect of the confusing similarity between the disputed domain name and the CHEVROLET trademark that the disputed domain name <CHEVROLETDEALERS.COM> is confusingly similar to the CHEVROLET trademark in which Complainant has rights as the Domain Names, which incorporates wholly the CHEVROLET trademark, and the mere adding of the word “dealers” is not sufficient to distinguish the disputed domain name from Complainant’s renowned trademark CHEVROLET.
2) The Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name given that the Respondent has not received any license or consent to use the trademark CHEVROLET from him, nor acquiesced in any way to such use or application of the trademark CHEVROLET by the Complainant. The Respondent hasn’t got further authorization from the Complainant to register the disputed domain name and it registered the dispute domain name in 1997, when the trademark CHEVROLET was already well known worldwide. Prior to the registration of the disputed domain name, the Respondent did not use “Chevrolet” or any mark containing “Chevrolet”. The Respondent does not use the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods and services since the disputed domain name <CHEVROLETDEALERS.COM> is currently associated with links to pay-per-click advertising which proves that the Respondent deliberately seeks to capitalize on identity of the domain name to the Complainant’s trademarks and has deliberately attempted to deceive visitors to the website by portraying to be associated with the Complainant.
3) In respect of Bad faith, the domain name has been registered and used by the Respondent in bad faith considering that CHEVROLET is a world-renowned trademark for several decades, the Respondent was obviously aware of Complainant’s prior trademark right. Further, the Respondent intentionally uses the disputed domain name in order to attract Internet users, for commercial gain, to its own website(s), by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainants’ marks.
Accordingly, the Complainant requests the sole Panelist to issue a decision that the disputed domain name <CHEVROLETDEALERS.COM> be transferred to General Motors LLC.
As noted above, the Respondent is in default pursuant to paragraph 5(e) and 14 of the Rules, and paragraph 7(c) of the Supplemental Rules, as no Response was submitted in due time.
It is further noted that the Respondent did not give any response nor communicate any message at any time during the present proceedings.
The term “Chevrolet” is included in trademarks which are registered in numerous countries in various classes (e.g. 12, 18, 25, 28 and 37), mainly for Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water and building construction; repair and installation services.
Complainant is the worldwide owner of the trademark CHEVROLET and derivative trardemarks containing this word in combination with other elements. This Complainant has been using this brand for over 85 years to designate all kind of vehicles and other related products and services throughout the world. The word mark CHEVROLET is registered in various countries all over the world including the United States of America and Uruguay.
In the present case, the trademark appears to be the term “Chevrolet”. Accordingly, this term in its entirety is included in the disputed domain name. Moreover, the adjunction of the word “dealers” to the name “Chevrolet” in the disputed domain name does not diminish the confusing similarity with the trademark, since the essential part of the disputed domain name and the trademark is the term “Chevrolet” and the word “dealers” is an ordinary English world. Domain names that combine a descriptive term with another’s trademark have been held to be confusingly similar to the trademark.
It further appears to the Panel that such descriptive component added to Complainant’s trademark even adds to the confusion by leading users to believe that Complainant operates the web site associated to the disputed domain name. See e.g Dr. Ing.h.c.F.Porsche AG v. Vasiliy Terkin, WIPO Case No. D2003-0888, AT&T Corp. v. WorldclassMedia.com, WIPO Case No. D2000-0553; Scholastic Inc. v. 366 Publications, WIPO Case No. D2000-1627.
It is for the Complainant to demonstrate that this condition is met prima facie. Provided that the Complainant is successful in demonstrating that the condition is met prima facie, it is for the Respondent to demonstrate its rights or legitimate interests. Accordingly, the main burden of proof is on the Respondent.
The Respondent has not challenged the Complainant’s contention. The Panel finds it credible.
Moreover, there is no evidence in the file that the Respondent has any right or legitimate interest in the disputed domain name.
Accordingly, the Panel considers that the Respondent does not have any right or legitimate interest in the disputed domain name.
Paragraph 4(b) of the policy states the following four (non-exclusive) circumstances which, if found to be present, are deemed to provide evidence of bad faith in registering and using the domain name.
The Panel notes that some panelists in certain default cases have accepted credible factual allegations from a complainant as true, particularly as these pertain to paragraphs 4(a)(ii) and 4(a)(iii) of the Policy, regarding the factors that make out illegitimacy of a respondent’s use or the presence or absence of bad faith, e.g., Luis Cobos v. West, North (Nick Handle: JNMTOKTCQD), WIPO Case No. D2004-0182; Microsoft Corporation v. Andrey Tumakov, WIPO Case No. D2002-1039; Plymouth State College v. Domains, Best Domains, WIPO Case No. D2002-0939.
The domain name must not only be registered in bad faith, but it must also be used in bad faith (e.g., World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. v. Michael Bosman, WIPO Case No. D1999-0001).
The Panel considers that the evidence submitted establishes that the choice of the domain name by the Respondent could hardly be a coincidence. First, adding the word “dealers” to the Complainant’s trademark indicates Respondent’s purposeful choice – and awareness - of a domain name that is confusingly similar to Complainant’s trademark and products. Further, the disputed domain name reverts to a website directory active in the same field as the Complainant. Accordingly, the Panel considers that the disputed domain name was registered in bad faith and is currently used as a “click-through” revenue generating site which provides income to the Respondent by inducing Internet users to click through sponsored links. It is the Panel’s opinion that the intention behind the Respondent’s use of a domain name containing the Complainant’s trademark is merely to capture the Complainant’s customers who are seeking the Complainant’s services, and to re-direct them to other websites. Such use of a domain name is neither legitimate, nor in good faith. Using a domain name to intentionally attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to a website by creating confusion with a complainant’s mark is evidence of bad faith registration under the Policy, paragraph 4(b)(iv) (e.g., Compagnie Générale des Etablissements Michelin CGEM - Michelin & Cie, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A. v. Horoshiy Inc., WIPO Case No. D2004-0752).
- The disputed domain name may lead customers or potential customers of Chevrolet vehicles or products to believe that they are on the Complainant’s website.
- The Respondent’s use of the domain name has no relation to the Complainant’s activities except for misleading potential customers.
- The Respondent did not actively participate in the proceedings.
For all 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 <chevroletdealers.com > be transferred to the Complainant.

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