This scam is being done well. On initial searching the web two things came up that make it difficult to confirm it was a scam. The company name and the Subject line did not turn up any red flags in Google or the main scam websites (hopefully they will soon, though I’m sure the company name changes). All I got in Google from their slogan and company name (china internet service provider yiguan it ltd) was their rather legitimate-looking website. Only on finding this forum thread (searching Google for "internet trademark") was I able to nip it on the bud.
I don't have time but someone should send the major scam sites to this thread.
Here’s what we received from them today (I removed our company info for privacy):
From: Mike Xia [mailto:mike@ygdns.org.cn]
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 11:49 PM
To: Customer Service
Subject: The Confirmation and Protection of Intellectual Property
Dear Manager:
We are a Domain Name registration service company, which is the domain name register center in Shanghai,China.
We have something important need to confirm with your company. A formal application here dated on May.26th,2009 from Meihua Group requested "[ourdomainname]" as their internet Trademark and CN/Asia domain names on internet .
After our initial examination,we find this name conflicts with your company. We send this email to the owner who have used this name and hope to get the affirmation of your company because that may relate to your internet intellectual property.
Now we have not finished the registration for this company, so we send this mail to your company and need to confirm whether this company is your company's partner in China. In order to deal with this issue better, please let the someone who is responsible for this matter to contact us as soon as possible.Thank you!
Mike Xia
Auditing Department:
China Internet Service Provider:
YIGUAN IT LTD
Tel : 0086-021-6296 2950
Fax: 0086-021-6296 1557
Web: www.ygisp.cn
Address: 866.Yishan Road Xuhui District,Shanghai.China
I replied as follows:
Hi Mike,
Thank you for contact us and respecting our integrity.
That company is not affiliated with us in any way. We have been using that name in our domain an product for many years and we plan extremely large worldwide marketing and distribution of our product in the coming 1-3 years, so we appreciate anything you can to do help prevent conflicts and confusion. We do not want to hinder another company from making progress. However, our use of the name is extremely well established. They can still make changes without any harm to their business because they are only starting to make their name public.
I greatly respect your company for being so diligent and respectful.
Thank you again.
Very best regards,
And, then I got this as a reply:
Dear Jay:
Thanks for your reply
Meihua Group want to apply the following domain names:
[ourdomainname].cn
[ourdomainname].com.cn
[ourdomainname].asia
and the Internet Trademark "[ourdomainname]"
Because China domain names takes open registration, the domain name stays available, who registers it first, who owns it. So MeihuaGroup or every other
third party all has right to register it.
According to the newly registration principle As a domain name registrar, we have right to dispute their application.So required by China government to inform
your company to protect your interest.As the company whose trademarks relate to the applied domain names, you will get the priority to register these domain
names and internet trademark.
If you think their registration will confuse your clients and harm your profits, we can send an application form to you and help you register these within
dispute period. This is the only way to prevent domain name grab.
If you need, we will send your company an application form to fill in and help your company remain the priority to register these names.
Best regards!
Mike Xia
2009-05-27