Fake Email Legal Notices ?

[accuname]

Help me decide if a message I got about a domain I registered is real or fake. (I smell a rat though).

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. [my name]
Violation of the Trademark INC for the domain name
[domain name]
Be advised use or sale of this domain name is subject
to legal implications.
Please Consider to cancel the registration prior to
legal actions in motion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Facts:
1) The email message time stamp shows it came only 4 hours after I registered the dot COM.
2) The email is from a YAHOO address and it has a name in the "from" field.
3) The message is singed by an LLC out of a country in Europe.
4) LLC has the word "domain" in it.
5) No google results for said LLC.
6) No return contact information is offered.
7) Domain name is a dot com
8) .net is registered, all other extensions available
9) Message does not look to have come from owner of .net
10) Domain name is NOT the name of any company
11) I checked the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the domain name did NOT come up as a trademark.
12) Message doesn't state in which country the trademark is violated.

I smell something fishy. Message received very quickly after registration but aren't these types of messages sent by law firms and more "official"? Maybe it's someone who really wanted it but got there right after I did and hoping I will be scared into canceling the domain?

Thanks guys.

 

[moondog]

I think it is a fake. True C&D letters are signed by the lawyer and firm that represents the mark holder.

-Bob

 

[accuname]

Do you think it is someone who just got there a tad too late and is pissed off and hopes I will cancel it? If it is fake I don't understand the point of it. And how would the sender be alerted that I just regged the domain... unless this person was searching for it maybe ?

I feel like sending a return email saying "Thank you for your interest in my domain name. This is a excellent premium domain and it can be yours for the bargain price of $50,000!" :sold:

 

[DNQuest.com]

I think it is a fake. True C&D letters are signed by the lawyer and firm that represents the mark holder.

-Bob

Absolutely false...

I sent out a C&D and I am not a lawyer and I sent it via email... damn sure it is a real C&D though.


As far as this is concerned, contact the legal department of the alleged TM holder and see what you can find. Yes, C&Ds can be sent via emai, it does not ahve to be done by a lawyer, it does not have to be anything fancy.

"You registered cccc.com, I own cccc and I own the TM rights to cccc. Stop using it"

That is a C&D, I will admit it is not pretty, but it gets the point across.

 

[Dangerman]

If you think the company has a valid claim, ask them to communicate with you from the company's email address. The company must have a website up somewhere, go look and see what their email is. For example if the company is called xyz, they probably have a contact at [email protected]. If they send you an email from the company's address, and you then reply to them at that address, and they then respond to your email, then you know you are dealing with the right person or people.

 

[exponent]

If you think the company has a valid claim, ask them to communicate with you from the company's email address. The company must have a website up somewhere, go look and see what their email is. For example if the company is called xyz, they probably have a contact at [email protected]. If they send you an email from the company's address, and you then reply to them at that address, and they then respond to your email, then you know you are dealing with the right person or people.

Be careful where you tread.. My company really is called XYZ, Inc. and xyz.com is deceptively similar to xyz.cc (which I own)... so cease and desist!

Just kidding about the cease and desist :hehe:

Good advice Dangerman.

 

[AzN]

I would be skeptical about it, I remember a few week or so ago, a member here won a domain at Snapnames and a few days letter he was sent a C&D using a fake TM accusation.