Cybersquatting

Do you need a trademark?

[Dorian]

Everything I've read so far about cybersquatting suggests you can only take action if you hold a trademark to your domain. I'm surprised if this is the case because it should be relatively easy to prove whether someone is trading off your name. Do you have any more info on this?

[ritch_b]

If another individual, group or business can prove satisfactorily that they have a definite claim to a particular domain which a squatter is sitting on, they are quite likely to be able to acquire it - regardless of whether they have a trademark or not.

How long the process will take and costs involved are a different matter, but the days of blatant squatting are pretty much over, with many having had their fingers burnt in the process.

R.

[Shak]

Hi Dorian, welocme to webmasterworld, glad to see you here and hope business is well.

You can have a case even if you do NOT have a trademark, but can prove you have been trading, and are widely known under a "specific name"

naturally results will be different for .com > .co.uk domains.

good luck

shak

[Dorian]

Thanks ritch_b & shak. That's certainly what I was led to believe. Its easy for me to prove that I've been trading with this name for a long time. But who do I have to take my case to?

[Shak]

Dorian

if its a pending issue, then drop me an email, might be able to help, since we have a mutual friend

shak

[Dorian]

Indeed we do. I've just made the connection.