Consumer Opinion, LLC runs the website www.pissedconsumer.com. A scam artist copied the website and registered the domain <pissedconsumercomplaints.com> in an attempt to scam users into believing that his website was affiliated with Pissed Consumer, and siphon off not only web traffic, but it may have also been used to unethically gather information about its users.
Led by RLG Partner Ron Green, assisted by Partner Marc Randazza, the firm filed a complaint before the World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”) seeking to shut down the scam website as a form of cybersquatting. Attorney Green was the pioneering attorney for domain name litigation in Nevada, and Attorney Randazza studied WIPO practices and procedures while earning his advanced law degree in International Intellectual Property. This made the team well suited to taking down the scam website.
On September 17, 2024 the arbitrator agreed, issuing a decision transferring the domain to Pissed Consumer. The arbitrator agreed with RLG’s arguments that the scammer targeted the trademark in an attempt to mislead consumers by impersonating Pissed Consumer.
RLG is pleased to help its client protect its valuable brand from people trying to unlawfully profit from it. Domain arbitrations and international intellectual property principles can often be used to protect your business. Using these procedures, something that RLG is well-positioned to do, can result in quick and relatively inexpensive remedies. Since we know these procedures, we were able to solve our client’s problem for a few thousand dollars, whereas other firms might have suggested federal litigation that could have cost six figures.
