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September 15th, 2007 by 
Jay Westerdal
With all the publicity on cybersquating and Microsoft trademarks. One would think only a moron would register a trademark of Microsoft. I think I found the biggest moron alive. He went out and registered every spelling error he could find of Microsoft. Talk about wanting to be hit by lightning. Kerry can I introduce you to Aaron Kornblum.
I think there is an endless supply of want-a-be domainers that just turn out to be Cybersquatters. My best advise to a new domainers is stay away from other people’s trademarks. If you have heard of a company or a product the best advice is to NOT register it. Find generic domains. Register local domains. I live in Seattle, so SeattleHousing.com or SeattleMenus.com are good domains to register. A lot of the good generic domains are taken but there are still a lot out there. Find them.
| Micr9soft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| M9crosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsodt.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microxoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsofr.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| M9crosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsofr.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Mivrosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Micrrosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microslft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Micrlsoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Micrksoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microwoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Kicrosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microskft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Midrosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsott.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Micfosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Micrpsoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| M8crosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Micros9ft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsof6.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Kicrosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsift.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Mic5osoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Mic5osoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Micrsooft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Imcrosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Mlcrosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Imcrosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Icrosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Icrosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Micdosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Mmicrosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Micerosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsoftcom.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microaoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsotf.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microspft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Mixrosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microeoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Mocrosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsot.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Wwwmicrosoftcom.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsogt.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Miicrosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Jicrosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Mucrosoft.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsofg.net | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Mucrosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microsofg.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc. |
| Microosoft.org | KerryWeb Enterprise,Inc |
I wonder if Microsoft will file a suit against KerryWeb Enterprises. I don’t think they can comment about cases they are investigating on but they have a responsibility to police their trademark so I am sure they will at least send a C&D letter. If they don’t do anything then Microsoft can actually loose their trademark.
We have a tool that spots typos for free, Here are all the Microsoft Typos that we know about. I wonder why Microsoft doesn’t own all these Typos. It is 2007 and Microsoft could have got all these domains years ago or at least sent a C&D on anyone that had one.
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Posted in Domain Typo Generator, Microsoft |
September 15th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
MicrosOff.com?? That’s a generic term.
“It’s Friday! Remember, on your way out, please turn your micros off unless you’re working this weekend.”
September 16th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
This guy is in my experience probably the worst offender in the domain industry. The only way to stop him would be to put him in jail He owns TONS of www prefix typosquats, which in my opinion are the blackest of hats. Check out this page about all the WIPOs he has lost (all of them naturally).
http://gotcha-whosbad.blogspot.com/
September 17th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
He registered .org and .net typos? Not only do these domains infringe, but are these even worth the registration fee (besides being a legal pain in the bum)? I would think that this guy is bleeding money (negative cash flow).
I registered one ccTLD of my first name and some dot com typos of it, and, believe me, while my first name is a popular one, the typos don’t get much direct navigation action.
Ya don’t think he’s using them for more nefarious purposes, such as setting up look-alike sites and conning innocent folks into going to bogus MS sites, do you?
Ms Domainer
September 18th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Jay,
For the life of me, i couldn’t find a “contact me” link on your blog. So, I’m forced to post a comment hoping you’ll get it.
I simply was curious if you noticed that Bobcats.com recently sold for ~$50,000 to the Charlotte NBA franchise after a 3 year hold out from it’s previous owner.
http://www.charlotte.com/business/story/282634.html
That’s a low ball figure after a three year hold-out, huh? Looks like the NBA got a steal for that name.
September 18th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Isn’t “Bobcats” a generic term?
Ms Domainer
September 20th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
For sale at BuyDomains:
Appletvapp.com
Appletvapps.com
(NOT MY DOMAINS!)
I suspect that those names may be infringing. I’m not judging here–I have a few stinkers myself that I have redirected to an ad-free family site. I’m just trying to understand where the line is drawn. I can see how the typosquats are a clear violation, but the brand name of a product with a generic word is less clear to me.
So, let’s say the seller and broker sell one of these domains to a buyer. Then the buyer receives a C&D order from Apple, and WIPO decides in favor of Apple. The domain gets transferred to the trademark holder, and the buyer (likely a newbie like me) has lost thousands of dollars.
So what happens with the seller and broker? Do they get off scot free?
Ms Domainer
September 20th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
I’m so paranoid now that I pulled AppETV (dot) com from my parking account and redirected it to my ad-free family site.
Although Apple was the furthest thing from my mind when I registered this, it looks like a typosquat. (I was thinking “applications,” and I also have the plural, also redirected.)
This is a good lesson for everyone to take a good look at the words they are thinking about registering.
Fortunately, I paid regular registration fee, not some huge amount of money.
Ms Domainer
September 22nd, 2007 at 11:24 am
On today’s (9/22/07) Godaddy’s Aftermarket featured auction list (NONE OF THESE ARE MINE, thank godness):
sonypalm.com
nike-sneakers.com
googlebots.com
appleweekly.com (although someone could develop this into a e-zine or even a print magazine NOT selling Apple, Inc. products)
youtubebachelors.com
But, of course, the folks at GoDaddy aren’t aware of these TM infringers.
It will be interesting to see how the civil courts might rule in a test case against a registrar running domains like this as featured items.
Ms Domainer
September 27th, 2007 at 7:28 am
I have one more question (and I promise not to belabor this point any further).
I understand that if a domainer regs Appleiphone [dot] com at ANY time, that is a clear instance of TM infringement, and the domainer will probably lose the domain to the TM holder (that is, if the holder pursues it).
If a domainer regs Cheapiphones [dot] com BEFORE the product exists, is announced, or is trademarked, then he/she will likely be okay–at least that’s my interpretation. Please tell me if I’m wrong.
What is not clear to me: suppose one registers cheapiphones [dot] com after the announcement of the product, is the domainer in danger of losing the domain? Part of me thinks “yes,” because it was probably registered in bad faith, but then part of me says “no” because anyone can actually SELL the product and that is all the domain name itself implies. Admittedly, it’s a gray area and why patent and trademark attorneys make good money. Also, I’m beginning to see that not all tm associated domains are created equal, for example, iphonetvfaq [dot] com (which is currently unregistered, and I’m not going there) MIGHT cause trademark confusion.
Thoughts from anyone?
Ms Domainer
BTW, Godaddy isn’t the only aftermarket selling trademark associated domains, so this muddies the waters even more. From now on, I’m staying away from TM domains; I have bookmarked USPTO.
I have another amusing story about an inadvertant case of registering a domain typo, but I’ll save it for my own bumbling blog.
UPDATE BY JAY: Well, if you registered cheapiphones [dot] com before the trademark, then the domain itself it fine. However if you place pictures of Apple’s Iphone on the site and advertise Iphones it can be argued that consumers are confused. It is important not to confuse people that you are apple. If you sell IPhones then it would be fine but a disclaimer on every page would be good. It really depends how you use the domain not when you bought it.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Thanks, Jay.
Ms Domainer
September 30th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
I have posted my bumbling newbie mistake at faresniper(dot)com (a redirect to my post on my blog; my rationale will become obvious).
Perhaps others can learn from my error.
Ms Domainer