question I received a complaint regarding my trademark domain name.

[789.xyz]

Is this a lawyer's letter? It doesn't seem like it. It feels more like a warning for me to transfer the domain to them for free.

I'm planning to renew it for 5 years and use it for my personal blog, ignoring their request.

Can any experienced individuals share their experiences?

 

[MKA]

Yeah, it seems about right. You registered the domain in 2024, and the trademark has been active since late 2021.

This is why a lot of investors don't list that their trademarked domains are for sale, but instead simply have a contact form.

 

[Hypersot]

@MKA ,
well, OP admitted that they hold a TM name. The question was, how do we know what a lawyer's name looks like so we don't accidentally send a domain to the wrong hands?

If I was the OP, I would have responded asking for proof that they are who they say they represent but that's just me.

 

[789.xyz]

This is why a lot of investors don't list that their trademarked domains are for sale, but instead simply have a contact form.

My selling price is $1900, and I don't know his cost for hiring a lawyer.

 

[789.xyz]

@MKA ,
well, OP admitted that they hold a TM name. The question was, how do we know what a lawyer's name looks like so we don't accidentally send a domain to the wrong hands?

The one who contacted me doesn't seem to be a lawyer but rather a domain protection agency, https://safenames.net/.

 

[MKA]

@MKA ,
well, OP admitted that they hold a TM name. The question was, how do we know what a lawyer's name looks like so we don't accidentally send a domain to the wrong hands?

If I was the OP, I would have responded asking for proof that they are who they say they represent but that's just me.

I only said it looked right.

The email is cropped, the name and agency (if external) should be in there as well. You can always ask for them to verify that they represent the company they purport to represent.

What I'm wondering is if the Haleon trademark really extends to China where the registrar is. Otherwise they'd have no claim to it. They could force Dan to remove it, but that's it. Obviously you shouldn't listen to me, and instead contact a lawyer.

 

[MKA]

My selling price is $1900, and I don't know his cost for hiring a lawyer.

I don't think they're interested in the domain per se, i.e. I don't think they would've registered it if it was available.

This is just to keep competitors out. Note, how they're asking that you undertake not to register any similar domains in the future, i.e. haleon.blue (or whatever).

 

[pb]

The email is cropped, the name and agency (if external) should be in there as well. You can always ask for them to verify that they represent the company they purport to represent.

No matter how genuine the letter is, if it has no power of attorney attached, always ask for it. Sometimes they will send it, sometimes you will never hear from them again.

 

[MKA]

The one who contacted me doesn't seem to be a lawyer but rather a domain protection agency, https://safenames.net/.

Haleon.com is registered with safenames.net. It's one of those corporate registrars that also deal with trademark protection.

No matter how genuine the letter is, if it has no power of attorney attached, always ask for it. Sometimes they will send it, sometimes you will never hear from them again.

The name of the attorney should be in the letter.

It could also be the case that they've not contracted or assigned a lawyer to the case yet, and instead rely on some initial template. Who knows?

 

[BaileyUK]

Is this a lawyer's letter? It doesn't seem like it.

Reads as 100% genuine to me. The complaint also has substance , I wouldn't ignore it if you wish to hold onto the domain. If you do want to keep, Reply to the formal notification stating your reasons for registering and intention to use for 'Unrelated purposes' Basically, Differentiate and justify

The complainant will have already taken screen shots of your sales page so is likely to move forward with their complaint if they don't receive a satisfactory response.

You could Plead ignorance to the Infringing nature of your registration and request reasonable out of pocket expenses but I somehow doubt that will work with a GSK company. This law firm probably deals with GSK Trademark infringements all day long, So will have a well oiled , efficient procedures in place.

 

[MKA]

The complainant will have already taken screen shots of your sales page so is likely to move forward with their complaint if they don't receive a satisfactory response.

I'm genuinely curious whether that would suffice as opposed to something like a Web Archive, after all, it's extremely easy to doctor screenshots.

No offense.

 

[BaileyUK]

Well Offence is taken, by your unnecessary and uncalled for example, We can all play School boy manipulation

Large companies like this tend to build the nature of their complaint on all and every facet. It doesn't even require much processing on their part. Screen shots of sales pages, Registrants history of sales listings etc. It all adds weight to their case.

The factual nature of their TM usually seals the deal. GSK doctoring anything in a case like this. Now that would take a wild imagination

 

[Charles Sweeney]

Is this a lawyer's letter? It doesn't seem like it. It feels more like a warning for me to transfer the domain to them for free.

I'm planning to renew it for 5 years and use it for my personal blog, ignoring their request.

Can any experienced individuals share their experiences?

Show attachment 258883

Ditch it. Don't go near trade marks. If they ask for a transfer, tell them to fuck off. Just let it expire or unregister it (whatever the correct term is).

 

[twiki]

Ditch it. Don't go near trade marks. If they ask for a transfer, tell them to fuck off. Just let it expire or unregister it (whatever the correct term is).

Why not transfer the domain?

 

[pb]

I'm genuinely curious whether that would suffice as opposed to something like a Web Archive, after all, it's extremely easy to doctor screenshots.

Screenshots are usually notarized in such cases.

 

[pb]

Haleon.com is registered with safenames.net. It's one of those corporate registrars that also deal with trademark protection.

Yes, but they could be acting out of the line. In the past I've had a law office try to get a domain for their client without the client authorizing it. Maybe it's not common, but you never know. The likes of SafeNames and CSC charge sweet money for every action related to domains and their clients don't tend to question the invoices, so it's in their best interest to try.

 

[EmilyWix]

I would be suspicious of this letter. It's very possible that it's a type of scam. That's how it seems to me. I'm not sure what others think about it, but in my opinion, it could be reported to the appropriate authorities.

 

[MKA]

I would be suspicious of this letter. It's very possible that it's a type of scam. That's how it seems to me. I'm not sure what others think about it, but in my opinion, it could be reported to the appropriate authorities.

If the email is from [email protected], then they're clearly a representative of SafeNames.

Ignoring it could be a really bad idea.

 

[biggie]

I'm planning to renew it for 5 years and use it for my personal blog,

Hi

did you plan that before or after you got the C&D?

that excuse probably wouldn't hold water in a decision,
because you put up a "For Sale" lander, instead of an "Under Construction/Coming soon" webpage.

had you done the latter first, then they might have waited to see what was coming.

just saying...

imo....

 

[bmugford]

It reads like a legit correspondence.

However, you cut out the contact information.

It doesn't seem like a valuable domain that a party would try to run some scam to acquire.

Is "Haleon" a generic term that I am not aware of?

The company has filed 23 UDRP and never lost one -
https://www.udrpsearch.com/search?query=haleon&search=domain

Brad