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Monitoring Domain Names
Answers by Andy Zavoina, Michele Petry and Dana Turner
QUESTION: How can we monitor who might be using a domain name similar to ours?
Answer by Andy Zavoina, BOL Guru
BIO AND CONTACT INFO
Many services that register domains also check their availability. Often, when the name is taken you can obtain more information on who has the name registered and how to contact them.
Answer by Michele Petry, BOL Guru
BIO AND CONTACT INFO
Protecting your domain name is similar to protecting your trademark or brand in cyberspace. There are several things you can do.
First, jot down a list of names that may be similar to your own or that could be variations of your bank's name. Then, check to see if any domain names similar to your own domain have been registered. Domain name registrations services like www.allwhois.com allow you to manually enter a domain name to see if someone has registered it. Don't just rely on typing the URL into your browser to see if something comes up. Often, a domain name will have been purchased but not placed on a server you can reach, so using a lookup such as allwhois is the only way to really verify whether or not someone owns a similar name.
Searching for domains names similar to your company's name may turn up interesting results. Nations Bank, for example, has registered the domain www.nationsbank.com. But others have registered the domains, www.mynationsbank.com and www.thenationsbank.com . It's a good idea to consider purchasing domain names similar to your institution's, either to extend your reach on the net or to provide some protection from future domain squatters. See the regulatory guidance issued on this point, such as the OCC's Alert 2000-9
There are also Web-based services that can help you protect your domain name. A company
called NameProtect offers an Internet based domain name monitoring service which allows you to monitor your brands for cybersquatting and other potentially infringing domain name registrations. NameProtect offers a free service that allows you to receive monthly email reports of potential name abuses or infingements. They also offer fee-based services that allow you to monitor when a domain has expired and may be available for purchase, as well as more in-depth trademark monitoring services.
Second, you may wish to consider purchasing anti-domains. Several years ago Chase learned the hard way that a disgruntled customer could wreak havoc when he registered the
domain www.chasebanksucks.com. The endless combinations of disparaging terms make this a tough war to win, but buying up the most obvious offensive names could be cheap protection against a tacky complaint site. Some companies have tried to fight back against anti-domain owners with trademark disparagement suits, but as of now the sites live on.
Answer by Dana Turner, BOL Guru
BIO AND CONTACT INFO
One more thing to note: If you go to one of the Internet sites that offer domain name registration and search for names that are similar to yours, you will be able to access a list that contains the domain owner's name, contact information, business purpose and the year the name was registered.
First published on BankersOnline.com 2/5/01
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