Domain Name Dispuate Question

Domains
1

Hello,
I am new to this forum. So please pardon me if I have made any mistakes.

A few weeks ago, I purchased a domain name (I will call it xyz.com) for a business plan that I am working on. This week, I received an email from a party interested in discussing the domain name. I am not interested in discussing the domain name or revealing my business plan with anybody for obvious reasons. I replied back accordingly. That party contacted me again today with the following email that has threatening wording. I am merely an entrepreneur with some business plans. I have no idea what cyber squatting means. I had no idea of this individuals facebook or twitter existance. Can someone advise me on what my rights are in this matter? Do I need to seek legal help on this matter? If so, who should I contact about it without breaking the bank? Should I contact ICANN proactively to log a complain about this threatening email? Here is the content of the email…

“Sorry for sounding intrusive, it’s just that we find it weird that as we were purchasing potential names for our company website you happened to purchase the very one we decided to chose after having a logo designed and performing massive amounts of research on the domain xyz.com; xyz.com is coming to the internet soon. We currently hold the Facebook, Twitter and other relevant social media names for it and were wondering what your true interest was in the domain or whether you were cyber squatting? We have already begun the process for trade marking the name xyz and already have already secured xyz as our official business name so if necessary we will surely have to proceed through our lawyer to file a ICANN domain dispute and have the domain formally turned over to us if we can’t come to a mutual understanding. Our lawyers are also looking into how you may have come across the xyz name potentially through our searches or other foul play. Please reply in a timely fashion with an amicable solution or we will have to proceed with the court filings.Regards,Glenn”

2

Cmon, you have the domain, so you are the owner. Create a bigger bold email and mail them about your plans with this domain name. Tell them that you have already registered your business with domain names and other things. This is what i can say. If your opposition is trying to be big to make you small, show yourself bigger than them. Tell them to read between the lines.

3

It looks to me like there’s little proof on their part that this was a trademark they owned/used at the time when you registered the domain. I doubt that them registering a facebook/twitter/business name is enough to prove otherwise.

Besides, one should think that the first thing to do after registering the business would have been to register the domain name (if not even prior to registering the business).

I think they’re now realizing their mistake, and trying to scare you. Stop communicating, until you hear from their lawyer. Chances are they’re not ready to go that far, or you would have heard word already from said lawyer. :slight_smile:

4

Too bad for them. It’s yours.

ICANN | Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy

Since weeks have gone by since your purchase of the domain, it’s likely you purchased it before they (allegedly) attained a trademark.

Unless you are contacted by a lawyer or ICANN, there’s nothing you have to do.

If someone visits your domain right now, what would they see? Just a parked page, or do you have a “coming soon” page displayed?

5

I suppose that is empty thread and you have nothing to worry about. But I would recommend you to sell that domain name if you do not have any plans for that. I think they will not stop contacting you and you will be under the pressure. So better to gain profit form that selling it on high price.