Be careful what domains you buy or what you promote..

icex · 12-02-2011, 05:42 PM

I'll get to the point: I bought a .info domain with walmart in it. The very (yes, very) next day I received this letter:

To Whom It May Concern:

Walmart is the owner of the well-known trademarks and trade-names “Walmart” and “Wal-Mart”. As you are no doubt aware, Walmart is the trademark used to identify products, services, activities and events related to Walmart.

In connection to Walmart proprietary rights over its well known trademark we bring to your attention the following:

You have registered, without Walmart’s permission or authorization, the domain name(s) 'deleted'. The Domain Name incorporates the well known Walmart mark in its entirety, and, by its very composition, suggests Walmart’s sponsorship or endorsement of your website and correspondingly, your activities.

Your use of a Domain Name that incorporates the famous Walmart mark constitutes trademark infringement and dilution of Walmart’s trademark rights and unfair competition. Your use of our mark in the Domain Name is diluting use because it weakens the ability of the Walmart mark and domain name to identify a single source, namely Walmart. Further, your registration and use of the Domain Name misleads consumers into believing that some association exists between Walmart and you, which tarnishes the goodwill and reputation of Walmart’s products, services, and trademarks.

In view of your infringement of our rights, we must demand that you provide written assurances within 14 days that you will:

1. Immediately discontinue any and all use of the Domain Name;
2. Immediately and permanently refrain from any use of the term Walmart or any variation thereof that is likely to cause confusion or dilution;

We look forward to hearing back from you within the above-mentioned time frame.

Sincerely,

Walmart Brand Protection

The offer was related to the walmart gift card. When I got the letter I just released the domain since it was only 99 cents.. Be careful warriors.

pacelattin · 12-02-2011, 06:23 PM

All those giftcard offers are scams, violating TMs. Should be banned.

officer_iron · 12-02-2011, 06:28 PM

Man they were seriously quick catching you on that!

ChrisBa · 12-02-2011, 07:08 PM

Wow, the next day, they are getting faster these days - stay away from domains which could be trademark infringements (for your own protection)

icex · 12-02-2011, 08:09 PM

This was a few months ago, but yeah the very next day I had the e-mail. Not even 24 hours actualy.

costi · 12-03-2011, 03:58 AM

I was wondering why these days everybody was saying: be careful if you buy a domain not to contain trademark words in it. This is why!

KingOfMusic · 12-03-2011, 08:31 AM

Wow that was fast. Did they have like some technology in place to detect any new domains with the word 'walmart' in it?

Thanks for the heads up, always safer to not use names that are owned.

12-02-2011, 05:42 PM	#1
icex Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 39 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Be careful what domains you buy or what you promote.. I'll get to the point: I bought a .info domain with walmart in it. The very (yes, very) next day I received this letter: To Whom It May Concern: Walmart is the owner of the well-known trademarks and trade-names “Walmart” and “Wal-Mart”. As you are no doubt aware, Walmart is the trademark used to identify products, services, activities and events related to Walmart. In connection to Walmart proprietary rights over its well known trademark we bring to your attention the following: You have registered, without Walmart’s permission or authorization, the domain name(s) 'deleted'. The Domain Name incorporates the well known Walmart mark in its entirety, and, by its very composition, suggests Walmart’s sponsorship or endorsement of your website and correspondingly, your activities. Your use of a Domain Name that incorporates the famous Walmart mark constitutes trademark infringement and dilution of Walmart’s trademark rights and unfair competition. Your use of our mark in the Domain Name is diluting use because it weakens the ability of the Walmart mark and domain name to identify a single source, namely Walmart. Further, your registration and use of the Domain Name misleads consumers into believing that some association exists between Walmart and you, which tarnishes the goodwill and reputation of Walmart’s products, services, and trademarks. In view of your infringement of our rights, we must demand that you provide written assurances within 14 days that you will: 1. Immediately discontinue any and all use of the Domain Name; 2. Immediately and permanently refrain from any use of the term Walmart or any variation thereof that is likely to cause confusion or dilution; We look forward to hearing back from you within the above-mentioned time frame. Sincerely, Walmart Brand Protection The offer was related to the walmart gift card. When I got the letter I just released the domain since it was only 99 cents.. Be careful warriors.

12-02-2011, 06:23 PM	#2
pacelattin is Pace Lattin War Room Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 688 Thanks: 13 Thanked 92 Times in 78 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Be careful what domains you buy or what you promote.. All those giftcard offers are scams, violating TMs. Should be banned.
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12-02-2011, 06:28 PM	#3
officer_iron Brady L Lewis War Room Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 622 Thanks: 108 Thanked 118 Times in 87 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Be careful what domains you buy or what you promote.. Man they were seriously quick catching you on that!
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12-02-2011, 07:08 PM	#4
ChrisBa Senior Warrior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 4,130 Thanks: 10 Thanked 508 Times in 402 Posts Social Networking	Re: Be careful what domains you buy or what you promote.. Wow, the next day, they are getting faster these days - stay away from domains which could be trademark infringements (for your own protection)
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12-02-2011, 08:09 PM	#5
icex Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 39 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Be careful what domains you buy or what you promote.. This was a few months ago, but yeah the very next day I had the e-mail. Not even 24 hours actualy.

12-03-2011, 03:58 AM	#6
costi HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Constanta Posts: 151 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Be careful what domains you buy or what you promote.. I was wondering why these days everybody was saying: be careful if you buy a domain not to contain trademark words in it. This is why!

12-03-2011, 08:31 AM	#7
KingOfMusic Old Soul War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Singapore Posts: 193 Thanks: 47 Thanked 24 Times in 24 Posts Social Networking	Re: Be careful what domains you buy or what you promote.. Wow that was fast. Did they have like some technology in place to detect any new domains with the word 'walmart' in it? Thanks for the heads up, always safer to not use names that are owned.
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