The Complainant is Absa Group Limited (previously ABSA Bank Limited) of Johannesburg, South Africa, represented by Moore Attorneys Incorporated, South Africa.

The Respondent is Registration Private of Scottsdale, Arizona, United States of America (“United States”) / Abhi Raj of Patna, India. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar

The disputed domain name is registered with GoD, LLC (the “Registrar”). 3. Procedural History

The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on December 3, 2018. On December 5, 2018, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On December 5, 2018, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center its verification response disclosing registrant and contact information for the disputed domain name which differed from the named Respondent and contact information in the Complaint. The Center sent an email communication to the Complainant on December 10, 2018 providing the registrant and contact information disclosed by the Registrar, and inviting the Complainant to submit an amendment to the Complaint. The Complainant filed an amended Complaint on December 12, 2018.

The Center verified that the Complaint together with the amended Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).

In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2 and 4, the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on December 28, 2018. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5, the due date for Response was January 17, 2019. The Respondent submitted an informal email communication on January 3, 2019 but did not submit a formal response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Parties on January 18, 2019 that it would proceed to panel appointment.

The Center appointed Kaya Köklü as the sole panelist in this matter on January 25, 2019. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7. 4. Factual Background

The Complainant is a company providing inter alia financial and insurance services in South Africa. The Complainant was founded in 1991 and is one of the largest retail banks in South Africa with more than 40,000 employees and several million customers.

The Complainant owns various trademark registrations for its ABSA mark including South African word mark registration 1991/07473 filed on April 6, 1995 and registered on August 3, 1995.

The Complainant also owns and operates various domain names, which incorporate its trademark ABSA, such as and .

The Respondent is apparently an individual from India.

The disputed domain name was registered on May 29, 2018.

The disputed domain name resolves to a website in English, where the Respondent operates an immature website with predominantly non-working links to alleged services in all kind of business areas, such as finance, health care, battery production, network solutions, education, schools, e-commerce, etc.

The Respondent did not reply to a letter of the Complainant’s attorneys from October 5, 2018, asking for a voluntary transfer of the disputed domain name. 5. Parties’ Contentions A. Complainant

The Complainant requests the transfer of the disputed domain name.

The Complainant is of the opinion that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to its ABSA trademark.

Furthermore, the Complainant argues that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name. It is rather argued that the disputed domain name falsely suggests that there is some official or authorized link with the Complainant.

Finally, it is argued that the Respondent has registered and is using the disputed domain name in bad faith. B. Respondent

The Respondent did not reply to the Complainant’s contentions.

In its informal email communications of January 3, 2019, the Respondent merely indicated that it has difficulties to understand and communicate in English language. 6. Discussion and Findings

According to paragraph 15(a) of the Rules, the Panel shall decide the Complaint in accordance with the Policy, the Rules and any rules and p