evil_lurker - 19-8-2007 at 19:43
So how do I bump them off?
Sauron - 19-8-2007 at 19:53
If you have a trademark on the business name you have a case.
Otherwise you are screwed.
They took the .com I assume?
So go take the .org and the .net.
Did you announce the business name anywhere prior to registering the domain? If so you shot yourself in the foot.
evil_lurker - 19-8-2007 at 20:03
No I kept it to myself.
I guess I'm going to have to get a trademark on my business name and take it from there.
pantone159 - 19-8-2007 at 20:17
If you get your trademark after they already had the domain, I doubt you'd be able to make your case, unfortunately.
P.S. Once you do get a domain name you like, I recommend that you pick the option to have it auto-renewed by your registrar, there are forces that
snap up just-expired domains hoping that the original owner will pay to get it back.
P.P.S. I'll do business with you no matter what you call yourself. 
evil_lurker - 19-8-2007 at 20:26
Whoever listed it has set up a "link farm". Dammit that pisses me off.
Twospoons - 19-8-2007 at 20:33
Someone probably saw the registration of your business name when you were incorporated - it is usually public information. I'd guess they watch all
the time for new businesses, then try to nab the domain. Obviously these days one has to register a domain name, THEN get incorporated. Don't blame
you for being pissed - this sort of thing is tantamount to extortion. There's a special place in hell reserved for spammers and cyber squatters.
evil_lurker - 19-8-2007 at 20:37
The .net is still open..snagging that first thing in the AM...
One thing I did do was start to register it with network solutions... but I didn't have the funds... like three days later it was taken.
Wonder if they had anything to do with it.
Sauron - 19-8-2007 at 20:52
The domain should not cost more than $12-$15.
I recommend Dotster.com or Tucows.
Of course you will also need hosting and you can't register till you have the hosting DNS numbers to put in. I can send you to a host provider in USA
who will set you up for $100 a year.
PM me if you are interested.
PS I own about a dozen domains. Have been hit by a cybersquatter before. Have seen many others suffer the same way.
evil_lurker - 19-8-2007 at 21:14
PM sent.
pantone159 - 19-8-2007 at 23:26
You can register the domain name before you have a server and its DNS data. Of course, without that, you can't make the domain DO anything, but you
can claim it for yourself.
I have one with Network Solutions, they are not so cheap, c. $35/year, but I haven't had any problem with them. I could save maybe half that or a
little more somewhere cheaper, but my calculations are that it isn't worth the hassle of switching.
I use HostGator for hosting, I have mixed opinions, although they are indeed cheap. I had a domain name through them as well, it wasn't set to
auto-renew, and when it expired they seemed to claim it for themselves right away, which didn't do anything to make me happier with them.
Sauron - 19-8-2007 at 23:56
I have been using Moore Internet for hosting for ten years.
We used to use Network Solutions till they allowed a cybarsquatter to forge a transfer order and steal a domain that still had several years left on
it paid in advance.
Now we use Dotster.
JohnWW - 20-8-2007 at 11:15
Evil_Lurker, your business name is, in any case, copyright to you as the first user, no matter what the other person has tried to use it for, and can
be held civilly liable for that. Besides, the person who is using your business name could be criminally liable for impersonation ("passing-off")
with intent to defraud, if he tries to use it to obtain income from the sorts of people who would normally contact you.
Sauron - 20-8-2007 at 18:35
And it will costs you untold thousands of $$ to even attempt to enforce any claim of intellectual property rights in this case.
Not worth it, grin and bear it.
I have been in your shoes.
evil_lurker - 20-8-2007 at 21:30
Still kicking myself in the ass for not getting the .com, but I did manage to land the .net for a whole hell of a lot less than with network solutions
by using dotster.
Sauron - 20-8-2007 at 23:14
Good. with the $$ you just saved you can also pick up the .org to block some squatter from taking it and if the squatter ever gets tired of your .com
you will have the complete set. All the others (.tv, .info and all that) are really not worth bothering about IMO.
When you have some content ready, contact Bill Moore at Moore Internet. I will PM you and tell you who to tell him referred you to him and he will
treat you right. $100 a year will get you all the bandwidth you will ever need (I have never come close to exceeding mine) and you administer your own
site with Direct Admin from your desktop.