Domain Registrar Account Phishing: Who is at Responsible?

Elliot Silver
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I would imagine that just about every domain name owner has received an email that purports to be a domain registrar. Typically, these phishing emails request that the recipient click a link within the email and then provide private account information, which would give the sender access to the domain owner’s registrar account. Some of these emails look pretty close to actual registrar emails, and they can be confusing.

I’ve shared some probably examples of phishing emails I received or were submitted to me. For instance, here is an example of a likely GoDaddy phishing email and here is an example of a likely Register.com phishing email. I also discussed why domain registrar phishing emails are bad for everyone who buys and sells domain names. Put simply, domain phishing is harmful to the business of domain investing.

The question I have today is who is

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Domain Conference Panel I Would Attend

Elliot Silver
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When I am at a domain conference, I don’t generally attend the panels or keynote speeches. I go to conferences like TRAFFIC and Namescon to reconnect with friends and colleagues, meet with industry companies, and make new contacts. I very rarely attend the panels. There is one panel I would attend though: a Q/A with UDRP panelists.

A UDRP is a risk for any domain owner. Regardless of how defensible a domain name is (check out the Photo.com UDRP for an example), there aren’t really any domain names that are immune to a UDRP filing. I think a UDRP on a descriptive domain name should be a “no brainer,” but there are quite a few examples of a UDRP being ruled in favor of a complainant, despite the domain name’s descriptive nature. Even when the correct decision is made, I think there are many UDRP decisions that are inconsistent. I suppose it is the nature of the system.

That being said, I would find it

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Taser International Files UDRP on Tasers.com

Elliot Silver
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According to the World Intellectual Property (WIPO) website, a UDRP was recently filed on the Tasers.com domain name. The UDRP is listed in the database as WIPO Case D2014-1492. It appears that the domain name is registered to a domain investor, and the UDRP was filed by TASER International, Inc.

The Tasers.com domain name was acquired for quite a bit of money, and it looks like it may have been sold publicly a couple of times. Three years ago, Michael Berkens reported “the domain name Tasers.com sold on NameJet.com for $12,900.” In the same commented, Mike opined, “Its a interesting domain as Taser is trademarked many times over including by the manufacturer of the device.” According to NameBio, the Tasers.com domain name had previously been sold on

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UDRP Filed on Squirrels.com

Elliot Silver
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5

Screen Shot 2014-08-25 at 2.15.17 PM

I was looking through the recent UDRP filings at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) when I came across a filing for the Squirrels.com domain name. The complainant in this case is appears to be a company called Squirrels LLC, and it is identified as WIPO Case D2014-1434.

When I visit the Squirrels.com domain name, I am redirected to another website, and it appears to be a forward based on my location. The current Whois information shows a

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Porn.com Update: Domain Name Recovered

Elliot Silver
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Yesterday morning, I reported that a UDRP was filed for the Porn.com domain name. Mike Berkens also posted an article about the UDRP, and he said, “We have not been able to confirm the nature of the UDRP and that its to recover a stolen domain but its the only thing that makes sense.” It appears that Mike was correct with his speculation.

This evening, I received an email statement from the Law Offices of Corey D. Silverstein, P.C. Mr. Silverstein is one of the attorneys representing Porn.com, along with Paul Keating. According to the statement, the Porn.com domain name has been recovered by the rightful owners.

I am happy to hear that this domain name has been recovered, and hopefully the attorneys will keep us posted to inform us how the situation unfolded. Congratulations to the legal team for the expeditious recovery of this valuable domain name.

Here is the full statement that was issued:

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MSC.com UDRP: Complaint Denied

Elliot Silver
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10

In April, I noticed that a UDRP had been filed against the MSC.com domain name. Several months prior to the UDRP filing, the domain name had been acquired for €35,000 via Sedo (nearly $50,000 USD). This afternoon, the UDRP decision was reported by WIPO, and the complaint was denied.

The complainant in this case was MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Holding S.A., a very large global shipping company. The respondent line in the UDRP decision is interesting as it is listed Sedo as one respondent. Later on in the decision, it seems to clarify that Sedo was still listed as the registrant behind privacy, although the domain name was owned by another party, as it had sold but had not yet transferred. Both Sedo and the owner of the domain name responded to the complaint.

I think the UDRP decision was the correct one, and it is good to see that a one-panelist UDRP decision made the correct decision. The respondent sought a finding of reverse domain name hijacking, but that was denied. I am a bit surprised the responding party / parties did not seek a three person UDRP panel, but I am glad the right decision was made.

It’s unfortunate that a domain buyer had to defend a great domain name like this, but it is one of the risks of this business.

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