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iREIT (INTERNET REIT, Inc). the domain name aggregation slash monetization company co-founded by Marc Ostrovsky, the man who sold business.com for a reported 7.5 million dollars in 1999 (the purchaser claims it was an "all stock, funny money deal"), has been named in a cybersquatting complaint filed in the United States District Court, Houston; on March 23, 2007 by telecommunications industry giant Verizon.
The suit accuses iREIT of cybersquatting, trademark infringement, dilution, false designation of origin and unfair competition claiming that iREIT registered over 90 domain names which were confusingly similar to Verizon trademarks.
The complaint goes on to suggest that iREIT then used these 90 plus confusingly similar domain names to divert Internet users intent on locating Verizon products to the sites owned by iREIT where surfers were presented with link based advertisements, which when clicked generated revenue in favor of the accused. Verizon added that the said links often took the visitor to sites offering goods which competed directly with those of Verizon.
The complainant provided the following list of domain names it claims iREIT registered and or had a veiled interest in by way of a claim the defendant registered domains using numerous identitys and that they intentionally provided false and misleading contact information for some of these confusingly similar domains.
Unfortunately for iREIT, that's not the worst of it. In the pleadings, Verizon stated that "many" of the domain names registered by the Defendants were not only confusingly similar to their trademarks but "to famous or distinctive trademarks owned by others", as well.
Verizon provided an exhibit listing some of the "other" trademarks they claim iReit had targeted for predatory use by way of registration and use of derivations of their domains and it read like a who's who of the business world.
To accentuate the gravity of the situation Verizon claimed that the list of offending names provided had been "for the sake of brevity" limited to "only one famous trademark for each letter of the alphabet." OUCH!
The "brevity" thing was a tad tounge in cheek I think because the list of offending names Verizon supplied as an exhibit was 9 pages long.
For the sake of brevity, I'm AM going to limit my list somewhat!
A:
aberacombieandfitch.com
aberacrombieandfitch.com
aberbrombieandfitch.com
abercrombitandfitch.com
abercromcieandfitch.com
abercronbieandfinch.com
B:
bankofamericaq.com
bankofamericoa.com
bankofamericqa.com
bankofameroica.com
bankofamertica.com
bankofamnerica.com
bankofanmerica.com
bankofarmerica.com
bankofawerica.com
C:
cingerluar.com
cingerwirless.com
cinglurawireless.com
cinglurwirless.com
cinguilair.com
cinguklar.com
cingulairwireles.com
cingulalar.com
cingularcellular.com
cingularhomepage.com
cingularlar.com
cingularn.com
D:
disnegams.com
disnehchannel.com
disnely.com
disnelyland.com
disneonline.com
disnetchanal.com
disnetoon.com
disney-stars.com
disney-tinkerbell.com
disney411games.com
disneyaccommodation.com
disneyanacollectibles.com
disneyareadiscount.com
disneybankone.com
disneycahennel.com
disneycarsmovie.com
disneycartoonnetwork.com
disneychanaell.com
disneychanelatino.com
E:
ebaybags.com
ebayblackthorne.com
ebaycampers.com
ebaycruises.com
ebaydresses.com
ebayfulfillment.com
ebayhk.com
ebayinc.com
ebaylaptop.com
ebaymators.com
ebaymootors.com
ebaymoros.com
ebaymortor.com
ebaymotars.com
F:
ferrari-pc.com
ferrari-power.com
ferrari248.com
ferraridinoforsale.com
ferrarif4.com
ferrarigallery.com
ferrariit.com
ferrarijackets.com
ferrarireplicas.com
ferrariscars.com
ferrariworldcars.com
ferrerri.com
ferrire.com
G:
googledearth.com
googleeardh.com
googleeargh.com
googleearth4beta.com
googleearthc.com
googleearthcam.com
googleearthimage.com
googleearthj.com
googleearthr.com
googleearthsetup.com
googleearthwin.com
googleearthy.com
googleeartk.com
googleearts.com
googleeeart.com
googleerthe.com
H:
hallmank.com
hallmaqrk.com
hallmardecards.com
hallmarkcardsecards.com
hallmarkcardsonline.com
hallmarkflowersgifts.com
hallmarkgreatingcards.com
I:
infinatie.com
infinatiy.com
infinete.com
infiniteycars.com
infiniti-auto-parts.com
infinitiautos.com
infinitymotorsusa.com
infinitysuv.com
infintidealer.com
infinyti.com
J:
jcpeenye.com
jcpemmy.com
jcpenie.com
jcpennel.com
jcpenneny.com
jcpenney1.com
jcpenneyassociates.com
jcpenneyc.com
jcpennyy.com
jcpennyey.com
jcpennyeys.com
K:
kawakasi.com
kawasikie.com
kawaskaie.com
kawaske.com
kawaskia.com
kawasokie.com
kawaswki.com
kawazakimotor.com
kawesaki.com
kawisakie.com
kawisawki.com
kawisiki.com
kawisuki.com
kawsaky.com
kawzaki.com
L:
lambardini.com
lambargine.com
lambborghini.com
lambhorghini.com
lambigini.com
lambirginis.com
lamboginie.com
lamboginni.com
lamborginhi.com
lamborginih.com
lamborginii.com
lamborguni.com
lamborqhini.com
lamborshini.com
lamboryini.com
lambourgeni.com
lambourgi.com
lambourgine.com
lambroghini.com
lamburghiny.com
M:
micccrosoft.com
micirosoft.com
micirsoft.com
micosoftdownload.com
micosoftdownloads.com
micosoftgames.com
micr-osoft.com
micrcrosoft.com
microrsoft.com
microsob.com
microsoft-update.com
microsoftactivation.com
microsoftartclips.com
microsoftartgallery.com
microsoftcliporganizer.com
microsoftclipsonline.com
microsoftexplore.com
microsofthalo.com
microsofthomeedition.com
microsoftinternectexplorer.com
microsoftkb.com
microsoftlabels.com
microsoftmediaplayers.com
microsoftmovie.com
microsoftnetmeeting.com
microsoftofficeassistant.com
microsoftofficonline.com
microsoftoffise.com
microsoftonlineservice.com
microsoftpics.com
microsoftpowerepoint.com
microsoftprofessional.com
microsoftservicepack.com
microsoftsupplies.com
mirosoftworks.com
mizosoft.com
mocrosoftupdates.com
mocrosoftwindows.com
msicrosoft.com
N:
nickalonin.com
nickaloodean.com
nickaloodon.com
nickealoen.com
nickeiodian.com
nickeiodion.com
nickeleodeon.com
nickelodea.com
nickelodiankids.com
nickelodoem.com
nickelodom.com
nickeloldeon.com
nickelonden.com
nickeloteon.com
nickeon.com
nickilodine.com
nickolde.com
nickoledan.com
nickoleen.com
nickoleodean.com
nickollodeon.com
nickoloadian.com
nickolodeain.com
nickolodem.com
O:
oldnaavy.com
oldnady.com
oldnanvy.com
oldnavyfactoryoutlet.com
oldnavyh.com
oldnavyoutfitters.com
oldnaxy.com
oldnazvy.com
oldneavy.com
oldnvey.com
P:
playboiy.com
playbool.com
playbory.com
playboxworld.com
playboy7.com
Q:
quicksiler.com
quicksilveragility.com
quicksilverboarding.com
quicksilverskateboarding.com
quicksilverwear.com
quicksiolver.com
R:
randmcanally.com
randmcnailly.com
randmcnallyh.com
randmcnallyl.com
S:
sears-canada.com
sears-carrental.com
sears-portraits.com
sears-portraitstudio.com
searscardonline.com
searschocerewards.com
searschoicerewads.com
searscreadit.com
searsdirectparts.com
searservice.com
searsgoldmc.com
searshealth.com
searshomeimprovment.com
searsintranet.com
searskidsrooms.com
searsl.com
searslocation.com
searsphotocenter.com
searsphotoes.com
T:
toyota-canada.com
toyota-financial.com
toyota4x4wire.com
toyotaaopinion.com
toyotabloomfield.com
toyotaboshoku.com
toyotaburnsville.com
toyotacamary.com
toyotacelica2005.com
toyotacorollaclub.com
toyotadartmouth.com
toyotafinancialservies.com
toyotaglendora.com
toyotalfinancial.com
toyotamakati.com
toyotamania.com
toyotamaplewood.com
toyotamelody.com
toyotamotorphil.com
toyotaofelgin.com
toyotaofwinterpark.com
toyotaontario.com
toyotaph.com
toyotaracingdevelpment.com
toyotarunningboards.com
toyotasantacruz.com
toyotascholarships.com
toyotasewingmachines.com
toyotatake2promo.com
toyotatercel.com
toyotaturbo.com
U:
unitedaeroline.com
unitedairalines.com
unitedairlien.com
unitedairliner.com
unitedarielines.com
unitedmiles.com
unitedtedairlines.com
unitedvacation.com
W:
walman0ne.com
walmant.com
walmarl.com
walmartairsoftguns.com
walmartapplyonline.com
walmartautomotive.com
walmartbenafit.com
walmartbenefuts.com
walmartbenfis.com
walmartbenfites.com
walmartbennifits.com
walmartcheckstub.com
walmartdebit.com
walmartdistributing.com
walmartgreatoutdoors.com
walmartmusci.com
walmartportiatstudio.com
walmartpotraitstudios.com
walmartprices.com
walmartregister.com
walmartshoppingcard.com
walmartstorelocator.com
walmartsupercener.com
X:
xm-pvd.com
xm-sn.com
xm1radio.com
xm22.com
xm49.com
xm8088.com
xmradiojapan.com
xmradionapster.com
xmrodio.com
xmsatalite.com
Y:
yahgool.com
yahhho.com
yahho-games.com
yahhogame.com
yahholagians.com
yahhomessinger.com
yahhomusicvideos.com
yahmahadrums.com
yahmaharacing.com
yahman.com
yahoo-mailer.com
yahoo36.com
yahooagain.com
yahooclick.com
yahoogalian.com
yahoogillans.com
yahooglobe.com
yahoohoroscop.com
yahoolanchcast.com
yahoolgain.com
yahooligahs.com
yahooligasns.com
yahoomasager.com
yahoomesger.com
yahoomessenger7.com
yahoomusicavideos.com
yahoopernals.com
yahoopersomals.com
yahoosmilies.com
yahootchat.com
yahppsearch.com
Z:
zalesjelwery.com
zalesjewelrs.com
Verizon is seeking damages of $100,000 per domain incident. Thats over 9 million dollars just for starters. Any of the other twenty five other companies listed above could be next to defend their mark and for that matter they may have to take numbers and line up deli style in order to stake their claims.
With the revenue they have spun off of their domains and a huge war chest stocked by investors such as JFI, (Jacobson Family Investments), Maveron (an investment firm held by Howard Schultz, chairman of Starbucks Coffee), and ex-Presidential candidate Ross Perot's Perot Investments, iReit can afford to pay the judgements which might arise from claims such as Verizon's. That makes them a prime target for other disgruntled trademark holders wanting to protect their customers and their brands.
While nothing has been proven in court the evidence put forth by Verizon paints a disturbing picture. It is a company rich in irony. iReit's revenue depends on it's direct advertising relationship with Google yet it targets typo's of it's upstream partner's domains. They take investment capital from Howard Schultz yet have targeted and monetized domains like StarbucksCoffe.com, Astarbucks.com Starbuckds.com and Starburcks.com. Their inconsistancy is the only thing about them thats consistant.
"I put up a website, add the Google ads and wait for the money to start flying in," Mark Ostrovsky
"A cyber-squatter is someone who owns a name that is trademarked, copywritten or otherwise...protected by another firm...we typically only buy generic names like "cars," "shoes," or "mutualfunds." I wouldn't ever own "Fidelitymutualfunds.com." Mark Ostrovsky
"In our relationships with Google and Yahoo!, we try to be a very professional corporation with real corporate governance." Bob Martin
Perhaps Ostrovsky's struggle with dyslexia contributed to the typo problems at iReit, or perhaps he's changed his approach to the business since his success in 1999. I don't know but it sure is interesting to see how people treat the business's that have given them everything, including their reputations. What I do know is that there are more bones buried in their backyard and that people with shovels are starting to mull around and ask questions.
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