The Federal Government today announced they had shut down and indicted the founders and operators of Liberty Reserve, a digital currency operation running out of Costa Rica. The founder of the Liberty Reserve Arthur Budovsky , has been arrested in Spain on money-laundering charges. The Feds allege that the operation was a $6 billion money-laundering scheme. Authorities say the network … [Read more...]
Bloomberg Reports Google Facing New FCC Antitrust Probe Over Display Ads
According to Bloomberg.com, Google is facing a new Antitrust Probe Over Display Ads by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission According to the story the FCC is looking into "into whether the company is using its leadership in the online display-advertising market to illegally curb competition" The story goes on to say that the investigation is in the preliminary stage and may not expand into a … [Read more...]
Zynga Claims Trademark Rights To “With Friends”
According to Techcrunch, Zynga who recently launched runningwithfriends.com, and also owns and operates Words With Friends®, Chess With Friends®, Scramble With Friends®, Hanging With Friends™, Matching With Friends™, Gems With Friends™ and Games With Friends®, told the dating website CupidWithFriends that they need to change the site’s name, because it allegedly infringes on Zynga’s … [Read more...]
Network Solutions Seizes Over 700 Domain Names & Sites Associated To Syrian President
According to krebsonsecurity.com, Network Solutions has seized more than 700 domain names "belonging to various Syrian entities, including a prominent Syrian hacker group and sites associated with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad". According to the story the seizures all occurred within a three- to four-day period in mid-April. "The apparently coordinated action ended with each … [Read more...]
Facebook CyberSquatting Judgement: 105 Domains; 10 Domain Holders; $2.8 Million in Damages – Draft
A federal court in California awarded Facebook $2.8 Million dollars under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA) yesterday. There were 10 domain name holders and one company that seemed to supply the landing page that some of the domain holders used to monetize the domains. In all there were 105 domain names at issue. The Court actually set up a formula to determine what … [Read more...]
Dept Of Homeland Security Seizes 10 Domain Names
Yourhoustonnews.com is reporting that "The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized 10 Internet domain names that were illegally selling trademarked cycling equipment and apparel globally." "The 10 seized domain names are a continuation of “Operation In Our Sites” (IOS), an HSI sustained law enforcement initiative that began in … [Read more...]
NAF Sets URS Fees $375-$500 Per Complaint & $400 For Domain Holder
The National Arbitration Forum, (NAF) has just released its proposed Supplemental Rules for Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) , including complainant fees that range from $375 - $500 depending on number of domains involved. The fee for the domain holder who gets hit with a URS is $400 if the complaint is for more than 16 domain names. However all domain holders will have to pay for a … [Read more...]