An arbitrator from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has issued a ruling on a complaint filed by Allstate under the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP). Allstate is one of the largest insurance companies in the US and offers, among its products, the Allstate Identity Protection (AIP) service. This service helps safeguard customers against unauthorized use of their personal data, alerting them, for instance, when someone attempts to obtain loans or tax benefits in their name, or when their information appears on hacker forums on the darknet.
The company filed a complaint targeting 153 domain names, all of which incorporated either the full name of the Allstate Identity Protection service or its acronym, AIP, in various combinations – such as heallstateidentityprotection.com, tryaipsite.com, useaiphub.com, and workwithallstateidprotection.com, among many others. It was evident the domains were registered for illegitimate purposes, and WIPO arbitrator Scott R. Austin had little difficulty reaching a decision: he upheld the complaint and ordered all 153 domain names transferred to Allstate. The ruling was further supported by the fact that the domain registrants – Nikita Bykadarov, Pranam Lipinsky, and Backlinkswappers, Inc. – failed to respond to WIPO’s inquiries or send representatives to participate in the proceedings.
Domain Name Wire, reporting on the case, notes that WIPO charges a fee for reviewing UDRP complaints, with the amount depending on the number of disputed domain names. For example, the fee for a complaint involving 6 to 10 domain names is $2,000. For complaints listing more than ten domains, the fee is negotiated individually. The amount Allstate paid for its lawsuit remains undisclosed.
