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  • Report:  #439486

Complaint Review: SnapNames Media Web Plus Oversee.net Moniker Kjel Holmberg Protondomains & Nidal Elkadri - Portland Oregon

Reported By:
- Brooklyn, New York,
Submitted:
Updated:

SnapNames Media Web Plus Oversee.net Moniker Kjel Holmberg Protondomains & Nidal Elkadri
115 NW 1st Ave, 3rd Floor Portland, 97209 Oregon, U.S.A.
Phone:
503-219-9990 x236
Web:
N/A
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
SnapNames.com - Scam Company & Shady Registrar Partners -Protondomains & Media Web Plus

ICANN has to do something about Snapnames and their Shady Registrar Partners - Protondomains & Media Web Plus, and what they get away with.

For several months we've had to contend with registrars that includes Directnic, Intercosmos, DirectI, Snapnames, Protondomains, and now Media Web Plus.

Back in July, My company asked DirectNIC/Intercosmos (through emails and faxes) torelease a specific inactive and parked domain name to the public because of our trademark.They did so by expiring and deleting the domain (Thank you Intercosmos!) and we waited patiently for over thirty days to purchase the name when it became available.

Snapnames grabbed it first through their domain drop and snatch service and thenauctioned it off to THEIR shady registry partner and SUBSIDIARY - PROTONDOMAINS. According to Whois:

"Domain Name: *.COM

Registrar: PROTONDOMAINS.COM LLC

Whois Server: whois.protondomains.com

Referral URL: http://www.protondomains.com

Name Server: NS1.SEDOPARKING.COM

Name Server: NS2.SEDOPARKING.COM

Status: ok

Updated Date: 20-dec-2008

Creation Date: 10-dec-2008

Expiration Date: 10-dec-2009"

So first it was under the name of DirectI, a company in India. We called them, and they informed us that they weren't the owners, and then we contacted Oversee and they said that the domain name was being managed by Snapnames under its subsidiary: Prontodomains.

We then made numerous attempts to reach Protondomains. The Whois information was incorrect,so we made a formal complaint with ICANNabout theirphony Whois information. The recently restored accurate information to the whois, so hopefully we've led to helping to prevent them from misleading the public in the future.

We made attempts to contact KJEL HOLMBERG over at Snapnames, but he hasn't replied since December of 2008 (It's now approaching April 2009), only to our surprise that Protondomains might share an office with the folk at Snapnames.

Recently, the name was sold to or registered by MEDIA WEB PLUS, cybersquatters in the search optimization business. We did reach out to them and they have asked us for $5000 for the name and then to f*ck off when we refused to pay. We forwarded their request as well as our response to [email protected]. I spoke to a couple of folk at Moniker, as they were the only ones answering their phones and they were wondering why Snapnames hadn't responded to our voicemail messages and emails.

Next We learned that the same domain name is on the Moniker marketplace being sold for $1600 as of 1:38PM EST. Dec. 22nd, 2008. We were confused and so we contacted their customer support line and Moniker explained that Media Web Plus is most likely involved in a practicethat isin likelihood violating their terms and agreement as customers of theirs. The domain name also appears on the SEDO marketplace for an unknown bid amount.

All we want is our name. Media Web Plus along with SEOSEO and OnlineDomains.mobi are also the owners and administrators of websites that would tarnish our brand name, and for what, so they can make a quick buck?

We have rights toTHIS domain through our business registration in the State of New York and we hold a USPTO trademark and relevant pseudo-mark registration for THIS name, and have engaged in commerce underTHIS name,and we were also issueda Tax ID by the IRS number underTHIS name and will be filing for our company 2008 tax returns underTHIS name.

On March 26, 2009, Media Web Plus informed us that the name will be sold through SEDO. That means they've had literally no traffic on the name and have been attempting to sell it for their outrageous sum since December 22, 2008!!!

This was our response (sent the same day):

"As I mentioned on my previous email, we have a trademark for the name, so anyone who, to their misfortune purchases the name, we will inform them of our rights over the name and what they do from there to get there money back is up to them. I don't think it's even fair for them to be buying into a domain dispute and then delivered cease and desist letters by our lawyers. As long as they want toengage in any activity involvingthe United States, they'll be confronted by the USPTO as using our name illegally. Who wants that? Isthat worth $5000?

There's a reason why it has taken you so long to sell the name. No one wants it and would have to be reckless to buy it if they did their research. We are cool with buying the name for a $100 and that's it - quick & easy. We already have money set aside for the legal fees and arbitration fees to pursue this issue from start to finish.

Do what you have to do in the name of business and commerce. Best of luck to you and I hope you guys are successful in your accomplishing your wishes and hopes. We will still always be {inserted domain name}, and doing good by that name for all our world's kids."

We want our name and won't stop fighting until a transfer is made.WE sent ALL our supporting documents to the above parties, and we will not send them again. We wanted to avoid an arbitration process (it's expensive), but it may come to that. However, we will make sure that any customer, ICANN and anyone who has to deal with SNAPNAMES, PROTONDOMAINS, and MEDIA WEB PLUS will find this board posting, and be fearless in the pursuit of their dreams.

Fight them!!!

Anyone wishing to contact me about resolving this matter or have any questions or tips, please do so (to avoid spam) through this site's messaging process. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

Email addresses of those mentioned in this posting. Contact them if you face similar issues Good luck future business owners and social entrepreneurs, and thank you ICANN for establishing new policies against those who are a part of why our US economy is bad. We need more oversight and regulations. This issue has made me an advocate for them. Here are the email addresses you won't find as available on the web:

{Contact me if you need email addresses}

Also try:

Attn: Legal (Moniker)

1600 Southwest 4th Avenue, Suite 400

Portland, Oregon, 97201

If you have trouble with MEDIA WEB PLUS, their public whois information (made public) is:

Registration Service Provided By: MANAGE.SNAPNAMES.COM

Contact: +1.5034595739

Website: http://Manage.SnapNames.com

Domain Name: BOOKBROS.COM

Registrant:

Media Web Plus

nidal elkadri

125 marcel chaput

gatineau

qc,j9a 3b3

CA

Tel. +1.8197761113

Kjel P. Holmberg

SnapNames, Business Development Manager

115 NW 1st Ave, 3rd Floor

Portland, Oregon 97209

503.219.9990 ext. 236

Kal L.

Brooklyn, New York

U.S.A.


1 Updates & Rebuttals

Scammer Slammer

Chandler,
Arizona,
USA
Either Misinformed, Using Scare Tactics, or Both

#2Consumer Comment

Fri, January 25, 2013

The complainant appears not to have knowledge of how domain names are bought and sold, nor as to how intellectual property rights generally work. Typically when someone purchases a domain name prior to another party registering a trademark similar to the domain name, the trademark owner would still have to purchase the domain name from the current registrant.

Trademark research should certainly include a thorough search for domain names that could conflict with the intended trademark and appropriate preparations should be made for purchasing those domains at fair market value. Registering a trademark after the domain is already owned by someone else does not give the new trademark holder a green light to steal someone else's intellectual property (the domain name).

Apparently the courts, if they were ever really involved in this case, have ruled correctly because the domain name in question is still owned by ProtonDomains.com LLC.

I am not a lawyer. I am someone who has been involved in buying and selling domain names for 13 years. Over that period I have learned a fair amount on the subject of trademarks and domain names.

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