Name Hijacking in GWG.com case — Reverse Domain

GWG Holdings guilty of abusing policy to try to get valuable three letter domain name.

Insurance firm GWG Holdings (NASDAQ: GWGH) has been found to have engaged in reverse domain name hijacking in its attempt to get the domain namd GWG.com.

The firm filed a cybersquatting complaint under UDRP with the World Intellectual Property Organization.

GWG Holdings was incorporated in 2008, 11 years following the current owner registered GWG.com domain name. In other words, it was impossible that the owner registered the domain name in bad faith.

Amusingly, while GWG sent two demand letters to the domain name owner claiming infringement, each one also included an offer to purchase the domain name.

The three-member panel noted the importance of issuing a finding of reverse domain name hijacking in cases where it is warranted, such as the GWG.com case:

The other factor that the Panel has taken into account is the importance of preserving the integrity of the UDRP for legitimate claims, an objective that is not enhanced by declining to make a finding of RDNH in an appropriate case, of which this is one.

The domain name owner was represented by ESQwire.com.