Hi all, I registered www.academyaward.us a few weeks ago. I parked the domain until I decide what to do with it. But today, I got an email starting like this... ========= Re: Infringement of ACADEMY AWARDS ® Mark We are counsel to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the "Academy"). We are writing with regard to your registration and use of the domain name ACADEMYAWARD.US. Please be advised that the commercial use of the ACADEMY AWARD® and ACADEMY AWARDS® marks is impermissible. ========= Finally, they ask me to cancel that registration within 14 days if not they will go to court against me. Your thoughts on this matter would be appreciate.
Just unpark it and put content not related to ACADEMY AWARDS or if parked change keywords so it doesn't show any ads related to ACADEMY AWARDS
I do not think that will help if this email is real. Be careful that this is just not a fake and that someone else is trying to steal your domain.
Just delete the name. It's crappy anyway...you're just asking for trouble. Delete it and save yourself the hassle.
1. You are in real trouble. 2. Visit their website and confirm whether this email is really sent by them? 3. If yes, surrender domain to them. In one such case, a person had to pay $25000 to best of my records. Good luck, Toniya
They are saying "that the commercial use of the ACADEMY AWARDS marks is impermissible." You can retain ownership if you build a Non Commercial Site not related to the ACADEMY AWARDS.
Here's what I done: 1- Changed the website. 2- Replied to Academy consellor to buy the site so no one can use it anymore. You can read a summary of my offer to them at http://www.academyaward.us I will post their response.
You're asking for trouble. Offering to sell them the name is a show of bad faith. You can be fined up to $100,000 by trying to profit from their trademark. I would either have the name deleted or just hand it over and write off your losses. At the very most ask for your registration fee. Anything more will land you in court.
I am asking for the registration fees ONLY. I am not asking for more. As I explained them, if they buy it to cover my registration fees, they will be assured that no one uses that domain anymore and they could use it to bring more visitors to their own site.
yup, offering to sell it to them was a very silly thing to do... tut tut. What you should have done is put up a website that was giving awards to academy's, (like schools) for certain things. That would have moved it out of the realm of copyright infringement as you demonstrably were not wantingly infringing on their registered trademark. As it is, you have demonstrated culpability and recognition of the fact that you agree the name is rightfully theirs. bad move mate.
Both words in this domain name are generic words. If you use them for anything else than Academy Awards - then you are safe. However, by offering to sell them and by acknowledging their trademark - you already put yourself in a very bad position. If you can get your registration fees - you are lucky. If not - get rid of it asap.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I got their answer today. Finally, as most of itraders suggested, I will simply DELETE the domain.