I recently bought the domain name sands.me for Sands. Thought it would be fun, and she could do a landing page to her other sites or something with it.
Haven’t got round to do anything with it yet so it is just parked at the moment. Was somewhat surprised to get a letter from a legal firm in the US representing Las Vegas Sands Corp saying that the domain infringes their trademark and that as it is currently showing a landing pages that also references their competitors it is doing them harm ……… yeah right!!!
So apparently I can transfer the domain to them or direct it to a landing page that doesn’t reference their competitors and not renew it when the 2 year period is up!!!
Yeah right, like I am going to just accept that!!!! Of course they could make me a huge financial offer to buy it, or maybe one of their competitors with big enough pockets to fight them would like it???
Please feel free to download the 14 Page PDF if you want!!!!
Dear Mr. Marshall,
While you state that the domain name is not being used in bad faith, the website content proves otherwise.
Currently, the domain name resolves to a passively held parked websites which include pay-per-click links to competitors of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (“LVSC”).
You may not have personally chosen those particular pay-per-click links displayed on your sites, prior Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (“UDRP”) Panels have held that domain owners are practically and legally responsible for “placeholder” content, referencing LVSC and its related goods and services, the registrar posts on parked sites. See Venetian Casino Resort, LLC v WorldWide Mob Ties Inc., FA 1013350 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 14, 2007) (http://domains.adrforum.com/domains/decisions/1013350.htm.
As such, until you release a live website with non-commercial blog content, as you state you plan to do, LVSC requests that you remove all present content on the domain name, save for a “under construction” message.
Alternatively, LVSC would be glad to reimburse you for your documented registration and hosting fees, as well as any additional costs associated with transferring the domain.
Thank you in advance for your continued assistance.
I look forward to your reply within five (5) calendar days.
Best regards,
Matthew C. Winterroth
Associate
Funny thing is they don’t even own sands.com, nor sands.org nor sands.net. Tell them that they can have the domain for 1 billion dollars 🙂 Another interesting note, a quick search on google for “sands”, does not show any of the Las Vegas places they mention at all. I was wondering what your response might be…. so thanks for the email reply.
So now with your skills, you can sands.me come up first on google 🙂 Then they can hire you to do they same for them. Buggers.
Have told them that I will be keeping the domain and setting up a site as originally planned.
Good research thanks!!!!!
Grrr. That just makes me angry. I almost wish it was me they had contacted so that I could give them a piece of my mind!!
Feel free to vent away here.
More than happy for you to do an ‘open letter’ vent 🙂
Tell them to go pack… sand! 🙂
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