Source: https://www.domains.ch/en/WIPO-UDRP/D2010-0517/911-forever.com
Timestamp: 2018-09-22 00:00:49
Document Index: 372198328

Matched Legal Cases: ['art4', 'art4', 'art4', 'art4', 'art4', 'art4', 'art4', 'art4', 'art4']

WIPO UDRP Case D2010-0517 / part4porsche.com - domains.ch
D2010-0517
Ulmer, Nicolas
911-forever.com
part4porsche.com
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG v. no
Case No. D2010-0517
Respondent is no of Buckingham, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The disputed domain names <part4porsche.com> and <911-forever.com> are registered with Intercosmos Media Group d/b/a directNIC.com.
The Center appointed Nicolas Ulmer as the sole panelist in this matter on May 11, 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.
Further pertinent facts are adumbrated in paragraph 5A, below.
Complainant, on October 11, 2007, sent a cease and desist letter to Respondent, and after a few communications, Respondent, “Alan”, willingly transferred <porsche-dynamic.com> to Complainant but requested that he be able to retain <part4porsche.com> due to his use of the domain name in his email address. But “Alan” also wrote that “I will remove the domain name “Porsche” and this will not make any confusing similarity between my aftermarket parts with your client [sic] of “Porsche”. Complainant granted him a brief period of time in which to change his email address and notify his contacts of such change. Complainant continued to monitor <part4porsche.com>, but instead of allowing the domain name to expire, Respondent renewed it, leading Complainant to commence this proceeding.
The disputed domain name <part4porsche.com> includes the entirety of the highly-recognizable trademark PORSCHE, the addition of the “part4” (i.e. part for) does nothing to reduce the confusing similarity with Complainant's mark but rather augments it; indicating a domain name to offer car parts. It is obviously confusingly similar with Complainant's name and marks. The second disputed domain name <911-forever.com> also contains Complainant's trademark 911, which refers to a series of well-known automobiles manufactured by Complainant. The subsequent addition of the expressive or descriptive term “forever” does not here dispel the similarity with what Complainant has demonstrated to be a well-known mark, and/or misleadingly implies a fan website or an advertisement, and not an independent commercial site. Accordingly, this disputed domain name is also confusingly similar to Complainant's trademark.
Complainant asserts convincingly that Respondent is not a licensee or a person with whom Complainant has had or has had a business relationship. All evidence in the file, notably the cease and desist letters and Respondent's answers thereto, confirm this assertion. Respondent is not commonly known by the marks contained in the disputed domain names. Respondent, having not answered the Complaint, submits no evidence to the contrary, accordingly this element of the Policy is also met by Complainant.
Some issues do arise concerning Respondent's “use” of the disputed domain names, inasmuch as they do not appear to have been fully implemented in their own right, but rather to direct the user to other sites related to automotive parts, but not clearly fully operational. But it has been well established since the Telstra Corporation Limited v. Nuclear Marshmallows, WIPO Case No. D2000-0003 that even the passive holding of an offending domain name may constitute bad faith use, and all evidence here points to such bad faith use. Respondent “Alan's” fallback position as expressed in its replies to the cease and desist letter is that it be permitted to continue to use <part4porsche.com> as its email address. Complainant correctly opposes this and contrasts “Alan's” request with the accepted precedent of renting “vanity” e-mail addresses as a legitimate business, the elements of which are not here present, see, e.g. Raccords et Plastiques Nicoll v. Tucows.com Co., WIPO Case No. D2008-1322. Finally, Respondent's conduct in using pseudonyms to reply evasively to cease and desist letters and demonstrated pattern of registering domain names with well-known marks of automobile manufacturers is further indicia of bad faith conduct.
Thus, the third element of the Policy is also here proven.
For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the domain names, <part4porsche.com> and <911-forever.com> be transferred to Complainant.