Hello WebmasterWorld!
So I was checking through my email from the address that I use to register the many domain names I own, which is obviously filled with spam after many years of registrations, and noticed an email sent via DomainsByProxy's email redirector to my account.
Not sure why I even clicked through to read it because it looked like one of the many standard emails from DomainsByProxy... but I did and here it is: (edited to remove company name)
Dear Registrant,
TRADEMARK_HOLDER, Inc. is the owner of the well-known trademark and trade name TRADEMARK. As you are no doubt aware TRADEMARK is a registered trademark used to identify products, services, activities and events related to the TRADEMARK Financial family of companies.
You have registered, with out TRADEMARK Financial's permission or authorization, the domain name 'TRADEMARKlifeinsurancecompany.info'. The Domain Name incorporates the TRADEMARK mark in its entirety and suggests TRADEMARK Financial's sponsorship or endorsement of your website.
In view of TRADEMARK Financial's rights to the trademark TRADEMARK, we ask that you immediately discontinue any and all use of the Domain Name and take steps to transfer the Domain Name to TRADEMARK Financial.
Should you require additional information or wish to further discuss this issue, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned at TrademarkProtection@TRADEMARK.com.
Respectfully,
TRADEMARK Financial, Inc.
Intellectual Property Counsel
Their statement
"As you are no doubt aware TRADEMARK is a registered trademark used to identify products, services, activities and events related to the TRADEMARK Financial family of companies." is false. I had never even heard of this company before registering this domain name.
This statement
"The Domain Name incorporates the TRADEMARK mark in its entirety and suggests TRADEMARK Financial's sponsorship or endorsement of your website." bothers me as well. I have no intention of masquerading around as another company, but I did intend to make use of the domain. (I am no squatter!)
Some Questions... 1. How do all of the BigCompanySucks.com websites stay up? I have seen a number of them over the years.
2. What would you do in this situation?
3. Are trademarks hurting the domain name selling companies? According to their logic, they own (in regex format)
.*trademark.*\..* domain names...
4. How much could they sue me for? What is the worst case scenario if I don't turn it over? I paid less than $1 for it, hard to imagine that much could come of this.
Further Notes... 1. This was their second notice, written exactly the same as the first.
2. The first notice was received just 1-2 weeks after registering the domain name. So it's obviously automated.
Just for the record, yes I do intend on transferring the domain name.
