PassionForParking.com Ordered to Transfer Due to "Cyberflight"

Recently, Scheidt & Bachmann GmbH, a renowned German transportation solutions company, successfully secured ownership of the domain name PassionForParking.com through UDRP proceedings. The ruling hinged on the defendant's alleged "cyberflight" practices, namely, the repeated changes to domain name registrant information during the arbitration process in an attempt to evade liability.

The disputed domain name, PassionForParking.com, was registered in September 2022. The current page contains pay-per-click (PPC) advertising links related to parking, such as "Book a Parking Space Online" and "Airport Parking." The domain name is also listed for sale. Scheidt & Bachmann alleges that the domain registration was intended to capitalize on the popularity of its "PASSION FOR PARKING" trademark to attract traffic and generate commercial profit.

According to case documents, the complainant holds multiple "PASSION FOR PARKING" trademark registrations, including those registered in the EU and the UK since 2020. The respondent, PassionforParking Inc., is from South Korea and claims to develop an information application related to parking. However, the panel failed to submit any evidence supporting this claim and failed to demonstrate legal interest in the domain name.

The panel specifically noted that the respondent repeatedly changed registrant information during the dispute, including the repeated use of the name "Boosting Inc." in multiple contact records, demonstrating a clear attempt to evade and conceal the facts. The panel concluded that this behavior was intended to obstruct the proper conduct of the proceedings and further demonstrated that the domain name was registered and used with malicious intent.

Ultimately, the panel determined that the evidence provided by the complainant was sufficient and that the respondent failed to demonstrate fair use or good faith in registering the domain name. Consequently, the panel ordered the transfer of PassionForParking.com to the complainant, Scheidt & Bachmann GmbH.

This ruling serves as a reminder to domain name holders that concealing one's identity, lacking legitimate interest, and exploiting trademark traffic for profit often lead to losses in UDRP cases.