Wrong Whois information and Trademark Action

[tedsudol]

I recently received a physical copy of an complaint by Microsoft seeking the reassignment of 29 bing.... domain names. The email address the person who has registered these domain names is using is [email protected]. I do not use that email address, I use a different email configuration of my name at gmail and did not register these domain names. Thinking it was just a case of mistaken identity I went to the whois and found to my surprise my contact information listed for these domains with the [email protected] email address. The complaint further goes on to state that as evidence of my bad faith I contacted Microsoft and tried to sell them the domains for $29,990. They further go on to say that I sold 9 of the domains to an individual in China. The only problem is it wasn't me - I never contacted Microsoft to sell these domains and never sold or transferred any of these domains to anyone in China.

The problem with whois is anyone can enter any information. As long as you have the email address and the account password you can control the domain. I don't know if anyone at name.com is involved since when I tried to change the account password it said a new password was being mailed to n***[email protected] I don't know if the individual in China to whom these names were transferred to Yaoxin Liu is aware of the problem and the fact that Microsoft may bring an action against him.

While I agree with the goal of the action, to reassign these names to microsoft and that will be what happens, it seems like not responding is agreeing to the allegations of bad faith, etc,

Has this happened to anyone else? What course of action do you suggest? Thanks in advance for your help

All the best,
Ted Sudol

 

[INVIGOR]

Man, thats quite the pickle huh? I would reply directly to the complaint and demonstrate the facts you just outlined above, especially where the new email is being forwarded to. Get screen caps, etc, before that is changed.

 

[stock_post]

Those domains must be bought by some Credit card or Paypal etc as long as you are not associate with the purchase, you should be safe.

 

[stewie]

Contact ICANN, cc Mircosoft and the Registrar where the domains were registered. Report the domains being registered under the wrong/false whois information.

Just a thought.

goodluck keep us posted.

 

[katherine]

Microsoft will probably have to subpoena the registrar to trace the person.
It's scary but you are not the first victim of such cowardice.