Domain investors are aware of certain precautions during domain name purchases. They should for example check whether a domain name might have been used for some kind of illegal activities. Moreover, it would be appropriate to consult databases listing registered trademarks and to make sure that the domain name is not copying any corporate brand. But it turns out that all these measures are not enough to stay out of trouble.
According to Domain Name Wire, the domain name SolVerde.com is a case in point. Its registration deadline expired in late November 2020. As there was no extension, the domain name was sold for $665 to Turn Invest Group Ltd. on NameJet. The company lost this lucrative asset almost immediately because Portugal’s Solverde S. A. managing a casino and hotel chain had filed a UDRP with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) shortly before the domain name’s registration expired. The registrar had notified WIPO and Solverde S. A. that the domain name’s registration was set to expire, but no action was taken.
According to the WIPO panel, the domain name violates the rights of Solverde S. A. The company was allowed to manage the domain name. Panel members noted that there was no malicious intent in the actions of Turn Invest Group Ltd. However, the buyer should have checked the domain name for any possible UDRP cases. Turn Invest Group Ltd. does not agree with the verdict and has filed a lawsuit, demanding that the WIPO decision be rescinded, and that it be allowed to manage the domain once again.
