Wow, someone copied my business website & domain name. What to do?
RA asked:
In the middle of last year, I started a website which had quickly become (and still is) successful. Just this week, I found that someone had registered a similar domain name and copied a branded name I choose and created their own website. The domain name was different only by a (-) dash. We’re two local business within 50 miles of one another.
Any suggestions?
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Filed Under Search Engine Optimization | 4 Comments
Tagged With Business Name, Local Business, Own Website
Comments
4 Responses to “Wow, someone copied my business website & domain name. What to do?”
Call a lawyer… ask him is opinion… that sounds too legal for YA lol
Unless you did not register your name at the copyright office, the only way is to rank high in the search engines and if you need a free advice of a real seo expert you can visit
Your business name may be eligible for trademark protection even if you haven’t registered it as a trademark (although it’s easier to defend a registered trademark).
You should really consider contacting an attorney that’s familiar with this area of law. If you know about the trademark violation and do nothing about it, it may weaken your case if you decide you want to pursue it in the future.
Although most people are reluctant to get involved in legal proceedings, it’s not always that bad. In many cases, a strongly worded letter on an attorney’s letterhead, stating your complaint and your intention to pursue it, may be enough to get the trademark violator to back off.
There’s some good general information about trademark protection available here:
Write them a ‘cease and desist’ letter, explaining they are infringing on your copyright for both the web design and name of company. If they do not drop it, then you sue them.