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First United Bank & Trust Company v. Jinseok Yang [2002] GENDND 1361 (7 August 2002)


National Arbitration Forum

DECISION

First United Bank & Trust Company v. Jinseok Yang

Claim Number: FA0206000114649

PARTIES

Complainant is First United Bank & Trust Company, Durant, OK, USA (“Complainant”) represented by Michael D. McClintock, of McAfee & Taft.  Respondent is Jinseok Yang, Seoul, SOUTH KOREA (“Respondent”).

REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME 

The domain name at issue is <firstunited.com>, registered with Hangang Systems, Inc.

PANEL

The undersigned certifies that she has acted independently and impartially and that to the best of her knowledge she has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding. Hon. Carolyn Marks Johnson sits as Panelist.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Complainant submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum (the “Forum”) electronically on June 19, 2002; the Forum received a hard copy of the Complaint on June 24, 2002.  The Complaint was provided in both English and Korean.

On June 21, 2002, Hangang Systems, Inc. confirmed by e-mail to the Forum that the domain name firstunited.com is registered with Hangang Systems, Inc. and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name.  Hangang Systems, Inc. has verified that Respondent is bound by the Hangang Systems, Inc. registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve domain-name disputes brought by third parties in accordance with ICANN’s Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy”).

On June 28, 2002, a Korean language Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the “Commencement Notification”), setting a deadline of July 18, 2002 by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, was transmitted to Respondent via e-mail, post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on Respondent’s registration as technical, administrative and billing contacts, and to postmaster@firstunited.com by e-mail.

Having received no Response from Respondent, using the same contact details and methods as were used for the Commencement Notification, the Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.

On July 24, 2002, pursuant to Complainant’s request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed Hon. Carolyn Marks Johnson as Panelist.

Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the “Panel”) finds that the 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.”  Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the ICANN Policy, ICANN Rules, the Forum’s Supplemental Rules and any rules and principles of law that the Panel deems applicable, without the benefit of any Response from Respondent.

Pursuant to Rule 11(a) the Panel determines that the language requirement has been satisfied through the Korean language Complaint and Commencement Notification and, absent a Response, determines that the remainder of the proceedings may be conducted in English.

RELIEF SOUGHT

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

PARTIES’ CONTENTIONS

A. Complainant makes the following allegations in this proceeding:

The <firstunited.com> domain name is identical to Complainant's FIRST UNITED mark.

Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.

Respondent registered and used the disputed domain name in bad faith.

B. Respondent failed to submit a Response.

FINDINGS

Complainant owns a trademark registration on the Principal Register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the mark FIRST UNITED (Reg. No. 2,208,341).  Complainant uses the trademark in relation to banking and financing services.  Complainant has used its FIRST UNITED mark since 1997.  Complainant operates an online banking service at the domain name <firstunitedbank.com>.

Respondent registered the disputed domain name on May 20, 2001.  Respondent is using the <firstunited.com> domain name to divert Internet users to its hard-core pornography websites located at <real-porn.com> and <sexyadong.com>.  Complainant has received numerous complaints from its customers after they have mistakenly gone to <firstunited.com> instead of Complainant’s website located at <firstunitedbank.com> and been routed to Respondent’s sites containing material they consider to be pornographic.

DISCUSSION

Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs this Panel to “decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted in accordance with the Policy, these Rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable.”

In view of Respondent's failure to submit a Response, the Panel shall decide this administrative proceeding on the basis of the Complainant's undisputed representations pursuant to paragraphs 5(e), 14(a) and 15(a) of the Rules and draw such inferences as it considers appropriate pursuant to paragraph 14(b) of the Rules.

Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that Complainant must prove each of the following three elements to obtain an order that a domain name should be cancelled or transferred:

(1) the domain name registered by Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights; and

(2) Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and

(3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

Identical to and/or Confusingly Similar

Complainant has established through registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and subsequent continuous use that it has rights in the FIRST UNITED mark.  The domain name registered by Respondent, <firstunited.com>, is identical to Complainant’s mark because it incorporates Complainant’s entire FIRST UNITED mark and merely adds the generic top-level domain name “.com.”  The addition of a generic top-level domain name is irrelevant when determining whether a domain name is identical or confusingly similar to Complainant’s mark.  See Pomellato S.p.A v. Tonetti, D2000-0493 (WIPO July 7, 2000) (finding <pomellato.com> identical to Complainant’s mark because the generic top-level domain “.com” after the name POMELLATO is not relevant); see also Entrepreneur Media, Inc. v. Smith, [2002] USCA9 115; 279 F.3d 1135, 1146 (9th Cir. Feb. 11, 2002) (“Internet users searching for a company’s [w]ebsite . . . assume, as a rule of thumb, that the domain name of a particular company will be the company name [or trademark] followed by ‘.com.’”).

The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) has been satisfied.

Rights to or Legitimate Interests

Respondent has failed to come forward with a Response. Therefore it is presumed that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.  See Pavillion Agency, Inc. v. Greenhouse Agency Ltd., D2000-1221 (WIPO Dec. 4, 2000) (finding that Respondents’ failure to respond can be construed as an admission that they have no legitimate interest in the domain names).

Furthermore, when Respondent fails to submit a Response the Panel is permitted to make all inferences in favor of Complainant.  See Talk City, Inc. v. Robertson, D2000-0009, (WIPO Feb. 29, 2000) (“In the absence of a response, it is appropriate to accept as true all allegations of the Complaint”).

Respondent is using a domain name that is identical to Complainant’s FIRST UNITED mark to divert Internet users to a website that is unconnected to Complainant’s business, which features pornographic material.  The use of an identical to domain name to divert Internet users interested in Complainant to Respondent’s website is not considered to be a bona fide offering good or services pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) and it is not a legitimate noncommercial or fair use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii).  See Vapor Blast Mfg. Co. v. R & S Tech., Inc., FA 96577 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 27, 2001) (finding that Respondent’s commercial use of the domain name to confuse and divert Internet traffic is not a legitimate use of the domain name); see also Toronto-Dominion Bank v. Karpachev, 188 F.Supp.2d 110, 114 (D. Mass. 2002) (finding that, because the Respondent's sole purpose in selecting the domain names was to cause confusion with the Complainant's website and marks, it's use of the names was not in connection with the offering of goods or services or any other fair use).  Furthermore, the use of Complainant’s mark in a domain name that diverts Internet users to a pornographic website is also does not create rights or legitimate interests pursuant to Policy ¶¶ 4(c)(i) and (iii).  See Nat’l Football League Prop., Inc. v. One Sex Entm’t Co., D2000-0118 (WIPO Apr. 17, 2000) (finding that the Respondent had no rights or legitimate interests in the domain names <chargergirls.com> and <chargergirls.net> where the Respondent linked these domain names to its pornographic website); see also MatchNet plc. v. MAC Trading, D2000-0205 (WIPO May 11, 2000) (finding that it is not a bona fide offering of goods or services to use a domain name for commercial gain by attracting Internet users to third party sites offering sexually explicit and pornographic material where such use is calculated to mislead consumers and to tarnish the Complainant’s mark).

No evidence in the record suggests that Respondent is commonly known by the mark and domain name in dispute and Respondent has not come forward with any proof to establish that it is commonly known as FIRST UNITED or <firstunited.com>.  Therefore Respondent has not established that it has rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii).  See Gallup Inc. v. Amish Country Store, FA 96209 (Nat. Arb. Forum Jan. 23, 2001) (finding that Respondent does not have rights in a domain name when Respondent is not known by the mark); see also Broadcom Corp. v. Intellifone Corp., FA 96356 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 5, 2001) (finding no rights or legitimate interests because Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name or using the domain name in connection with a legitimate or fair use).

The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii) has been satisfied.

Registration and Use in Bad Faith

Respondent’s use of a domain name identical to Complainant’s mark to divert Internet users to a pornographic website is evidence of bad faith registration and use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii).  See Brown & Bigelow, Inc. v. Rodela, FA 96466 (Nat. Arb. Forum Mar. 5, 2001) (use of another's well-known mark to provide a link to a pornographic site is evidence of bad faith registration and use); see also Ty, Inc. v. O.Z. Names, D2000-0370 (WIPO June 27, 2000) (finding that absent contrary evidence, linking the domain names in question to graphic, adult-oriented websites is evidence of bad faith).

Furthermore, Respondent’s use of a domain name that is identical to Complainant’s FIRST UNITED mark in order to divert Internet users to a website unconnected to Complainant’s business is evidence of bad faith use because Respondent is creating a likelihood of confusion for its own commercial gain.  Therefore, Respondent’s use of <firstunited.com> to divert Internet users to <real-porn.com> and <sexyadong.com> is evidence of bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv).  See Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. v. Lalli, FA 95284 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 21, 2000) (finding bad faith where the Respondent directed Internet users seeking the Complainant’s site to its own website for commercial gain); see also State Fair of Texas v. Granbury.com, FA 95288 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sept. 12, 2000) (finding bad faith where Respondent registered the domain name <bigtex.net> to infringe on Complainant’s goodwill and attract Internet users to Respondent’s website).

The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii) has been satisfied.

DECISION

Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that the requested relief shall be hereby granted.

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

Hon. Carolyn Marks Johnson, Panelist

Dated: August 7, 2002.


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