| Scams - they come from many different flavors. | | | | Regarding the ticket, we sent a polite reply, saying |
| Some are downright obvious, like eBay and PayPal | | | | that nobody can steal any company's trademark and |
| sites stealing your identity. Then, there is a generous | | | | if there is, necessary lawful action will be taken; but |
| Nigerian who is willing to give you millions in cash. Yet, | | | | tell you what, he sent another e-mail, the same point |
| other scams can be a little hard to detect. These | | | | in paraphrased sentences. They sounded the same |
| scams do not directly target you. Instead, they may | | | | to me honestly, annoying huh? |
| target your business (or your online business) and can | | | | Hello |
| have very damaging effects if you are not cautious. | | | | We are now auditing the application of Aiffida |
| Today, let me share a little about a "harmless" scam | | | | company. Hereby I need to tell you that Aiffida |
| that seems very above-the-board at first, but is | | | | company is using the trademark "hostdepartment" to |
| really not so when you dig deeper beyond the | | | | register the top domain in China |
| obvious. | | | | "transactiondirectory.cn, hk, tw, |
| Domain name is the most important item for a | | | | hostdepartment.net.cn, hostdepartment.org.cn " and |
| company to have in the Internet. Without it, there | | | | internet brand "hostdepartment". These domain |
| will be no such company. People can't visit your | | | | names and internet brand involves your |
| website with ease (just imagine remembering all | | | | company¡¯s benefit and reputation, |
| those IP numbers). Regarding that simple but | | | | according to domain name registration principle, we |
| significant issue, domain can be one of the prime | | | | are responsible to bring this issue to your attention. If |
| targets for scammers. who are they and how do | | | | you want to object Aiffida to register ,there is only |
| they trick you out of your domain? | | | | one way is to register these domain name by |
| Most scammers nowadays come from the China | | | | yourself and prevent other to register it . If you |
| domain registrars; they e-mail you, say that there is | | | | need to register it ,we will send you an application |
| third party trying to steal your trademark, and | | | | form according to the procedure of registration |
| suggest you to register all China extension domain | | | | .After you fill out ,please send me back .We will use it |
| names referring to your company (like .cn, tw, hk) | | | | to reject Aiffida's application and help your company |
| with them. It's not new for my company as during | | | | to finish the registration |
| the last one month, there have been few typical | | | | Best wishes! Dylan |
| e-mails sent to us. | | | | Don't you think it was already unbearable anymore? |
| Dear Manager, | | | | Replying this, we were not that tolerating anymore. |
| We are Fexon Technology Limited, which is the | | | | We stated directly that they are included in the list |
| domain name register center in China. I have | | | | of scam registrar companies and asked for their |
| something to confirm with you. We have received an | | | | explanation. This was effective because no more |
| application formally, one company named "Chesterton | | | | e-mail again from them since then. |
| Holdings LLC" applies for the domain tw hk, | | | | What to Learn from the Lesson? |
| hostdepartment.net.cn, yourcompany.org.cn, etc.) and | | | | I found articles about people's similar experiences and |
| the internet Brand Name(yourcompany)on the | | | | even the law document about China domain |
| internet Apr. 3, 2008. We need to know the opinion | | | | registration. It's true we will impossibly expand our |
| of your company, because the domain names and | | | | business in China regions if a third party registers |
| keywords may relate to the usufruct of brand name | | | | domain names referring to our company since the |
| on internet. We would like to get the affirmation of | | | | law doesn't allow different organizations refer to the |
| your company, please contact us by telephone or | | | | same trademark. On one hand, it seems they are |
| email as soon as possible. Please let someone in your | | | | helping to save our trademark from being stolen. |
| company who is responsible for trademark or | | | | However, be aware that the cases are not rare and |
| intellectual right contact me freely. | | | | it is silly to straightly trust them and register some |
| We didn't know it was just a scam. I searched in | | | | domain names in a rush. We should at least check |
| search engines and found out these cases have been | | | | them out for their reliability. |
| undergone by many companies. China domain | | | | Mostly, their strategy in tricking us is just exactly like |
| registrars contacted them, told them that another | | | | our experience. They contact by e-mail and say that |
| company was trying to register domains referring to | | | | a third party company (is there any?) is trying to |
| their trademark, and advised them to register the | | | | register some China domains referring to our brand |
| domains with the China registrar. What did I do next? | | | | and it will influence our trademark badly on the sight |
| I replied them politely and said that our company has | | | | of our customers. No doubt about that (if the case |
| no plan to expand to China; so, there is no need to | | | | exists). However, to tell you the truth, what they are |
| register the domains with them. | | | | doing is just trying to fool us for their profit since the |
| Did it stop? Wrong guess! Two or three weeks | | | | Domain Name Registration usually costs higher than |
| after, we received another e-mail from another China | | | | the usual one. |
| domain registrar. Awesome! Two companies but the | | | | Even worse, are you sure it will guarantee your brand |
| same type, scam. It said like this: | | | | is safe once you register those domains to them? |
| Hello | | | | The answer is no since they just manipulate our |
| We are Shanghai NIC Internet Service Co.,Ltd, an | | | | money by selling the domains expensively at $20-$50 |
| oversea domain name registration organization. On | | | | a year for one China domain. If we really want to |
| April. 28th 2008, we received the Aiffida Investment | | | | register the domain names and protect our |
| company's application that they want to register the | | | | trademark, do it with reliable domain registrars to |
| ¡°hostdepartment¡± as their | | | | ensure that our trademark is really protected. |
| CN domain name and the Internet Brand. It's our | | | | For information, the China government internet |
| duty to tell you this matter in order to avoid the | | | | network institution, CNNIC, has exposed the lists of |
| unnecessary Intellectual Property dispute .We want | | | | China domain registrars that are scams, as you can |
| to confirm whether you have authorized the | | | | have a look at In the provided link, you'll be assured |
| company to register. If you haven't, please let me | | | | that these companies have grown abundantly in |
| know whether you need to protect your domain | | | | number, meaning that you should be more concerned |
| name and the Internet Brand or not. According to | | | | when any of these registrars contact you through |
| the register principle, the original owner of the | | | | e-mail. Even more, who knows if the number has |
| trademark has the priority to register. The priority | | | | increased? Just beware! You don't want to lose some |
| time is 5-7 workdays, if your company give up the | | | | money worthlessly for sure. |
| priority, we will accept the Aiffida company's register | | | | So, don't get tricked by the domain scammers. Just |
| request and help the company register after the time | | | | inform them that we can take any lawful action for |
| is over. Best regards! | | | | trademark thief and if they insist, let them realize |
| Dylan Lan, China Internet Network approve | | | | what they should know about themselves. |
| Organization -Shanghai NIC Internet Service Co.,Ltd | | | | |