Domain names

[Dylan & Marianne]

Just wondering if I could ask what your opinion about the following issue might be
Marianne and I have for a long time registered our photography as www.everlookphotography.com
There's a company from China that want to use a whole bunch of other ones like everlookphotography.com.cn ( .hk etc)
They've basically said they're going to do it unless we register them all first.....

Is there anything we can do about this to stop it or do we have to accept that there might be some everlookphotography china version running around the place?
I'm thinking, I can't be bothered going through hoops to stop these guys but sheeesh, you see someone using already using it, common courtesy would usually dictate - THINK OF ANOTHER NAME.............

[ameerat42]

Ah, language! The bane of human communication.
This is no business advice, but it depends on whether you want to expand on the name in the future.
I think that your present name should still stand out in searches, though.
Srry for not saying much that might be helpful.
Am.

[Dylan & Marianne]

thanks am - I think it was more of a vent than anything else - I'm not quite sure why they would want to use the same name? were they planning on stealing our images too????
just weird

[Ms Monny]

Cant say much on this either but, yeah, you would think they would come up with a different name. They might have been 'stalking' you and found that your photography is pretty darn good and if they have a similar name, they might just get some of their images sold to people thinking it is you. Weirder things have happened....and we are talking about the web here!!

[matt shepherd]

Mate that is a real pain and like you said not very nice of them to use it knowing that you are trading as that already.
I hope it all works out well.

[Kym]

The .com rocks! They can do as they wish, but you have the best, hang onto it!

[WhoDo]

This is a SCAM, Dylan. They're hoping you've invested enough in the domain name you have to want to protect it by registering the others as well. Pay them no mind and, like a painful pimple, they will eventually go away. As long as you have the top level domain you are secure. Kym is right ... hang on to it!

[fess67]

Agreed it is a scam. When I was an IT manager we used to get these all the time and the higher up execs were worried.....very much in the same way you are.

My advice is to keep your .com and if you are really worried grab the .com.au and .net.au versions, it is not expensive. Other than that, ignore the whole issue.

[Dylan & Marianne]

After getting over the initial OMG! with the aid of a family member we found this scam site!

http://www.hostaway.net.au/news/chinese-domain-scam/

The email was very close though their reply that they woudl register anyway was odd - I also looked up their current company name and found nothing on the internet.......sigh, yet another scam ( I hope )

[Ms Monny]

phew!! thank god for that! Glad you found out it was a scam!

[Speedway]

That's like the domain renewal company that sends out letters that look like invoices telling you that your domain is about to expire and you will loose it if you don't renew it immediately. I was looking after a website for a club when I got an email from them querying my invoice for the next 12 months plus domain renewal, they had just sent off the payment for the renewal at 4 times my price. Luckily they had sent a cheque and were able to cancel it. They got a threatening letter back from them telling them there domain would be cancelled. They forwarded this to me and I answered them telling them that their correspondence had been forwarded to consumer affairs and the ACCC. We never heard from them again.
Keith.

[Presotto]

Big time scam, I received a simillar email a year or two ago, for my website, which is www."myname".com.au and the .com version. I paid no attention since if you want my name with any TLD go for it. Needless to say I never saw the sites appear. I then found out it was a scam a little while later.

BTW if you're looking to pick up a free domain, crazy domains is giving one free .asia domain away at the moment.

[zollo]

My advice is to keep your .com and if you are really worried grab the .com.au and .net.au versions, it is not expensive.

just to clarify there are numerous criteria you have to meet to be able to use a .com.au or .net.au domain.

these are :-

- an Australian registered company; or
- trading under a registered business name in any Australian State or Territory; or
- an Australian partnership or sole trader; or
- a foreign company licensed to trade in Australia; or
- an owner of an Australian Registered Trade Mark; or
- an applicant for an Australian Registered Trade Mark 1 ; or
- an association incorporated in any Australian State or Territory; or
- an Australian commercial statutory body.

[richardc43]

All great insight it helps a lot i will remember this down the track. thanks all

[farquar]

you see someone using already using it, common courtesy would usually dictate - THINK OF ANOTHER NAME.............

I'm afraid common sense isn't actually common. Let alone common courtesy!

There are two business here in Tasy (one North and one South) operating under the same name, one with a .net and one with .com.au

Figure that out!

[Dylan & Marianne]

It's OK now for us - it was after all just a scam ;P