Successful UDRP Case - papperlesspost.com

 

One of the most common typosquatting techniques is the addition or removal of a single letter from a trade mark. In this case a squatter added an extra “p” to Paperless Post and registered papperlesspost.com. Lexsynergy was able to prove that the domain name was confusingly similar to Paperless Post’s trade mark registration with the USPTO and that the squatter was using the domain in bad faith.

Lexsynergy was successful in recovering the domain name papperlesspost.com via a UDRP. The UDRP is an administrative procedure that allows trade mark owners to recover infringing domain names quickly and cost effectively. Lexsynergy's fixed fee model allows a trade mark owner to be proactive in the enforcement of its rights online. Trade mark owners should not need to settle by purchasing domain names from squatters (for cost reasons) but rather set a precedent that squatting on its trade mark will not be tolerated or used as a bargaining chip for unwarranted settlements.

Read the full decision here: http://www.adrforum.com/domaindecisions/1673997.htm

German and Dutch Registries Warn Against Fake Invoices

DENIC and SIDN, registries for .de and .nl respectively, have separately issued warnings against fake invoices being issued for their domains.

For .de, what DENIC describe as “questionable invoices” have been issued by ".DE Deutsche Domain" that claim to be a provider of domain registration services. These invoices are not related to DENIC in any respect and the registry warns that before paying any invoice to take time to check what precisely the payment being demanded is for and to always read the small print.

Next door in The Netherlands, SIDN is warning registrants of .nl domain names to be wary of fake invoices from an organisation calling itself Domeinregistratie Nederland. SIDN warns recipients of these fake invoices to not pay them and to report the invoice to Fraudehelpdesk.nl.

If any of our clients have received any of these invoices, or questionable renewal invoices for any of your domains, please contact us at Lexsynergy as soon as possible at support@lexsynergy.com.

Lexsynergy Attending INTA's Building Africa With Brands

Lexsynergy will attend the upcoming INTA conference, Building Africa With Brands. This conference marks the first INTA conference held in Africa and will take place on 1-2 September, 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Building Africa With Brands will focus on the ideas and best practices of doing business in Africa. Sessions and speakers will explore which brands have successfully transformed from an African brand into global brands as well as lessons that multinational companies have learned from doing business in Africa. As stated in the latest INTA Bulletin, “Those organizations that have moved into Africa have done well if they’ve brought their brands in properly, have protected them well, positioned themselves correctly in the market, and have proven that they’re here to stay.”

Conference sessions will cover topics such as brand creation, protection, and enforcement strategies in developing economies; developing and implementing the right IP strategy; and the challenges and opportunities in Africa from a brand owner’s point of view.

Lexsynergy has a team of experts that specialize in the African domain name and online brand protection space. With local offices in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania we have the knowledge and experience that only a local presence can provide.

The African Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) landscape is complex requiring in-depth knowledge, expertise and experience to process domain name registrations and renewals throughout the continent. Lexsynergy has direct accreditations with the African ccTLD operators and has over the years established relationships to streamline the processing of African ccTLD domain name registrations and renewals.

If your brand is preparing to establish itself in Africa let us help you with a complimentary strategy session. During this session we will discuss the strategies and steps to ensure you are maximizing your local effort with the appropriate ccTLDs and protecting your brand online. Email us at info@lexsynergy.com to schedule your session.

.გე, The Georgian Equivalent Of .ge, Available Now

The new extension .გე, the Georgian equivalent of the traditional Latin .ge, is now available for pre-reservation. During this time it is possible to reserve domains which include a trademark or replicas of already registered .ge domains. The first year of registration is free. Starting 22 July 2016, the .გე will be open to all on a first come, first served basis.

Email Lexsynergy at support@lexsynergy.com if you are interested in reserving a .გე domain name.

.CA Gets More Secure With Domain Lock

The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) in late June announced general availability for Domain Lock, a new service offered to CIRA’s D-Zone customers that allows users to quickly lock their .ca domains at the registry.

Domain Lock prevents unauthorised changes to the nameserver records and is the most secure method available for protection against domain hijacking. Examples of the types of malicious attacks that Domain Lock protects against could be as simple as a hacktivists redirecting websites to a political message, a thief intercepting emails or replacing a website with a phishing site to steal customer information.

Lexsynergy offers domain locks at both the registry and registrar level for most domain extensions. Email us at support@lexsynergy.com if you are interested in adding this additional security level to any of your domain names.

Brexit: The Effect On Domain Name and Online Brand Protection Strategies

The recent referendum in the UK has brought uncertainty and questions about its effect on local and global economies, trade, business, travel, etc. Lexsynergy's account managers have evaluated how Brexit may affect the domain management of our client's portfolio and here is what we recommend for you to take into consideration:

.eu and .ею
The referendum will have no impact on .eu registrations by British companies and individuals for now. EURid, the registry for .eu and .ею, has said that as the next steps have still not been determined and the political and legal processes not yet initiated, no action will be taken. To be eligible for a .eu or .ею domain, the registrant is required to be based in the European Union, Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein.

European Country Codes and Local Presence Requirements
Each European country code extension has its own set of requirements. For example, anyone within the European Economic Area (EEA), the Vatican, San Marino or Switzerland can register a .it (Italy) domain; meanwhile .hu (Hungary) requires EU residency for individuals and companies registering a domain at the second level but there are no restrictions at the third level. Lexsynergy offers local presence solutions for all EU country codes extensions and will ensure our clients retain ownership of their EU domain names.

UK Country Code Extensions
Registration and ownership of .co.uk or .uk domain names will not be affected by Brexit since these are unrestricted extensions.; however, protecting your brand within these extensions will become increasingly important as the referendum comes to fruition over the next few years. Brand managers need to ensure they have their trade marks secured in all relevant extensions - co.uk, .uk, .london, .scot, .wales, .cymru and .ie.

If you have any concerns about how Brexit may affect your domain strategy email us at support@lexsynergy.com. We will set up time to complete a full review of your portfolio to ensure there are no gaps and that your brand is protected.