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Cyber Squatting

Pat Whatley

New Member
I looked into getting a squatter off a name and it can be done.....it's just not cheap. it was going to be much, much cheaper to pay them off than to go through the legalities.\
 

JoshLoring

New Member
I've got first hand :)
Did branding and started a website for a client.. Client had us buy the domain. Ran out of money and disappeared.

4 months later client charged back his Amex CC after receiving logo. Clients lawyer sends us a cyber squatting letter to give the client his domain. We told the client bring us cash, no check for your chargeback and we will give you your domain. Other then that we aren't squatting because he hired us for the job.

Anyway... If the domain isn't in use for a purpose and you have a trademark then you can get them for squatting. If its a generic name like tacos.com , graphicwraps.com etc... Cyber squatting rules don't apply. It must be specific like "yourbusinessname.com"
 

Bigdawg

Just Me
Pat is right - cheaper and easier usually to pay them off. We had one that somehow found out about a pending name change at the hospital I worked for and bought up the domain names associated with it.

He started out wanting 10 grand for the domain name... I worked out a deal with him for a thousand bucks (stressing the fact we were going to take him to court if we couldn't settle) after our legal department told us that anything under 3 thousand would be more cost-effective to just pay him.
 

Wheeler

New Member
I dont know about Cyber squatting but I know it is the buyers responsibility to make sure the name isn't trademarked before buying.
I gave up sport-decals..com a few years back, It was easier than going to court. Got a email from a attorney and a registered letter in the mail.

What makes me mad about the whole thing, Go daddy offered me the name when the other was taken. So they can sell you a name that you cannot use.

I have been told several times I should have went to court but was easier just to let it go.
 

ova

New Member
That's one reason we don't have a website.

Joined a BNI group a couple of years ago. One member did websites. Ours had expired and after him checking us out, inquired about doing our new website and stressing we needed to secure our address. We were too busy into the moving the business phase at that time and explained to him we would sit down and talk after things settled.

Low and behold, he bought every name associated with our business. Next BNI meeting he explains this to me as if he was helping me out. Said when I was ready to get my new website going, he would already have the address. Just had to figure which one we wanted to use.

Still don't have a website and don't plan on getting one. Business is doing just fine without it.

Did I mention I no longer belong to BNI?

Dave
 

visual800

Active Member
Only until I got my website up and running did I ralaize what this was. It ticked me off but you know they bought it and they were first. After I got my website up and running I was offered to but visual images.com for $400....AWESOME!...NOT!
 

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
Excuse me but, never having nor wanting web site, I'm unclear here. Just what authority recognizes, protects, and enforces the ownership of these names?

Historically this is the one basic function of government, to be the authority that recognizes, protects, and enforces the ownership of private property. In fact that and all that ensues from it, things like national defense, is the ONLY legitimate function of government.

If it's not a government dealing with these names, then just how do they derive any authority to do so? What keeps anyone from telling them to pound sand and using whatever name strikes their fancy?

I guess what I asking is does this particular emperor have any clothes or are they merely running an expensive litigation ridden bluff? In other words, does simply using whatever name you like regardless of who else might think they own it carry the death penalty?

Other than trademark law, how does one 'own' a name anyway? If my name were, say, John Smith, could I seek out any other John Smiths in sue them into the ground for using 'my' name?
 

Pat Whatley

New Member
ICANN controls that, essentially under contract with the United States Department of Commerce and the GAC.

If you actually look into it, though, they really have no authority other than what is assumed they have. I don't know if their authority has ever been really challenged and nothing I found showed me where a law had been passed granting them the authority. I think the Commerce department just kind of told them to take care of it.
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Just like the days of the old wild west, these modern day claim jumpers (opportunists) are only doing what people have been doing for eons. Why should we be surprised?


JB
 

ProWraps

New Member
there are laws against it and they do get enforced. Im just interested in hearing if anyone has had to invoke them with any success.
 

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
there are laws against it and they do get enforced. Im just interested in hearing if anyone has had to invoke them with any success.

Specifiable, what laws? Please cite at least one law. Not some organization or another's rules and regulations, but an actual law as passed by a valid legislative body.
 
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