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Here's an article I found:
A CANADIAN student dubbed a "wave rat" for offering the domain name "tsunamirelief.com" for $US50,000 ($64,000) on eBay was only trying to raise money for relief efforts, his mother said today.
Josh Kaplan, a 20-year-old art student, was the subject of a front-page headline when the New York Post suggested he was trying to profit from the disaster.
The tabloid branded him "wave rat" while detailing what it called his "shocking eBay bid".
But mum Linda Kaplan, speaking from her home in Thornhill, Ontario, said: "It was all a gross misunderstanding.
"He wanted to sell it and donate the money to tsunami relief. My husband and I said, 'That's a good idea, Josh'. But it all turned into a nightmare."
The domain name was initially registered by Michelle Tirado, of Southbury, Connecticut, the morning she heard news of the tsunami disaster.
Ms Tirado, a freelance journalist who registers domain names to sell for profit as a sideline, listed it for sale with an asking bid of $US99 ($127), but then donated it to Mr Kaplan, whom she said claimed to represent an international fund-raising effort.
After finding the sale listing on online auction site eBay with a $US50,000 starting bid, Ms Tirado thought there was something fishy going on.
"I thought there was a good chance this is fraud," she said.
Ms Tirado said Mr Kaplan had since sent her an angry email complaining about the newspaper story.
The domain name was voluntarily withdrawn from eBay by the seller, according to eBay spokesman Chris Donlay, who said the service had strict policies on charity sale items that ensured the purchase price went to a specific charity.
Linda Kaplan said Josh, who was at classes at Ontario College of Art and Design, was deciding whether to go through eBay's rules for a charitable listing or just return the domain name to Ms Tirado.
"He was completely shocked," she said about suggestions he might be trying to benefit himself. "His intention was solely to give to tsunami relief."
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,11848227%5E1702,00.html
A CANADIAN student dubbed a "wave rat" for offering the domain name "tsunamirelief.com" for $US50,000 ($64,000) on eBay was only trying to raise money for relief efforts, his mother said today.
Josh Kaplan, a 20-year-old art student, was the subject of a front-page headline when the New York Post suggested he was trying to profit from the disaster.
The tabloid branded him "wave rat" while detailing what it called his "shocking eBay bid".
But mum Linda Kaplan, speaking from her home in Thornhill, Ontario, said: "It was all a gross misunderstanding.
"He wanted to sell it and donate the money to tsunami relief. My husband and I said, 'That's a good idea, Josh'. But it all turned into a nightmare."
The domain name was initially registered by Michelle Tirado, of Southbury, Connecticut, the morning she heard news of the tsunami disaster.
Ms Tirado, a freelance journalist who registers domain names to sell for profit as a sideline, listed it for sale with an asking bid of $US99 ($127), but then donated it to Mr Kaplan, whom she said claimed to represent an international fund-raising effort.
After finding the sale listing on online auction site eBay with a $US50,000 starting bid, Ms Tirado thought there was something fishy going on.
"I thought there was a good chance this is fraud," she said.
Ms Tirado said Mr Kaplan had since sent her an angry email complaining about the newspaper story.
The domain name was voluntarily withdrawn from eBay by the seller, according to eBay spokesman Chris Donlay, who said the service had strict policies on charity sale items that ensured the purchase price went to a specific charity.
Linda Kaplan said Josh, who was at classes at Ontario College of Art and Design, was deciding whether to go through eBay's rules for a charitable listing or just return the domain name to Ms Tirado.
"He was completely shocked," she said about suggestions he might be trying to benefit himself. "His intention was solely to give to tsunami relief."
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,11848227%5E1702,00.html
