domain Names

[twistedlaws]

A local competitor of our company purchased a domain name containing our business name. When you type in this web address, our competitor's website comes up. This has to be illegal, isn't it? Keep in mind, this competitor was my husband's former boss 4 years ago. They have been trying to sabatoge us one way or another for the last 4 years. Anyway, is there anything we can do about this?

 

[seeoursound]

I am going through something like you now. I have posted a message asking about if U.S. Code Title 15 > Chapter 22 > Subchapter III > #1125 will allow me to sue them.

Bob

 

[patenmet]

need to talk to a lawyer or get acquainted with the law enough to serve them

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Agreed - but there could be a number of reasons as to why this is occurring. You need to determine how and why this is occurring.

Let's say purchase of keywords in search engines - you should raise this with Google and other search engines, who have guidelines about buying keywords of competing businesses.

Let's say it concerns their putting your business name in the hidden keywords or metatgs on their page, you should start reading cases about these areas, e.g. Oppedahl & Larson v. Advanced Concepts, metatags - Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v. Calvin Designer Label, Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v. Asiafocus International, Inc., etc.

You see where I'm going here. Best of luck with this.