Prudential Defeats Cybersquatting Appeal by Chinese Company

Prudential Insurance Co. of America is entitled to the domain name PRU.COM, the Fourth Circuit said Tuesday, taking sides in a circuit split over what constitutes cybersquatting.

PRU.COM was originally owned by a Texas company, but was purchased in 2017 by Shenzhen Stone Network Information Ltd., which distributes financial information to Chinese consumers online, with a focus on the foreign exchange industry. SSN registered the name with GoDaddy Inc.

In 2002, Prudential trademarked PRU and other PRU-formative marks in the US and in 2020 it unsuccessfully attempted to acquire PRU.COM. Prudential ultimately sued SSN under the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, ...