Domain name with company letters, should I buy it ?

[Benj]

Hello,
i'm hesitating grabbing a domain name containing the letters of a very popular company based in asia, with offices all over the world.

It is like "somethingcompany.com" .

Of course I plan to resell it to the company. Is there a legal risk with this ? Can they force me to give the domain for free ?

Thanks in advance,
Benj

[Wassercrats]

If you're stubborn about wanting your investment back, they'd probably pay for it if they want it. Not sure about making a profit though. Just a hunch.

[hobbes]

They could simply take you to WIPO instead, claim trademark ownership over the name, and take it for free.

[TVB]

They could simply take you to WIPO instead, claim trademark ownership over the name, and take it for free.

or maybe they don't and decide it's easier to simply send a small amount of money to get it and avoid a hassle. Given that domain names are dirt cheap, it's a risky investment I'd probably make.

Wouldn't it stink to have had the opportunity pass by and then read about someone hitting a payday on it?

Betsy

[Bob]

May wish to review this and do additional searching as a result
http://vincenti.com/html/cybersquatting.html

Additionally, court, in its discretion, may also award statutory damages, over and above the other damages, in an amount ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 for each infringing domain name. The injured party may also recover attorney's fees, in the court's discretion.

(f) the person's offer to transfer, sell, or otherwise assign a domain name to the trademark owner or to any third party for financial gain without having used, or having intended to use, the domain name in a bona fide offering of any goods or services,...

-Bob

[Andilinks]

Wouldn't it stink to have had the opportunity pass by and then read about someone hitting a payday on it?

I wouldn't consider this an opportunity but a low-grade quasi-scam that while perhaps legal is an unseemly way to make money.

Well, that's just me, maybe I've just been tricked into this morality thing.

Andi

[Wassercrats]

They could simply take you to WIPO instead, claim trademark ownership over the name, and take it for free.

From http://arbiter.wipo.int/center/faq/domains.html#11:

What does WIPO offer as a resolution service provider?

WIPO's resolution service offers highly qualified neutral panelists, thorough and expeditious administrative procedures, and overall impartiality and credibility. Dispute resolution at WIPO is much faster than normal litigation in the courts. A domain name case filed with WIPO is normally concluded within two months, using on-line procedures, whereas litigation can take much longer. Fees are also much lower than normal litigation. There are no in-person hearings, except in extraordinary cases. Minimal filing requirements also help reduce costs. For resolution of a case involving one to five domain names, with a single panelist, the current cost is US$ 1,500; for three panelists, the total cost is US$ 4,000. For six to ten domain names, the current cost is US$ 2,000 for a case involving a sole panelist and US$ 5,000 for a case involving three panelists.

I remember looking that up about a year ago. Sounded like a good service until I saw that, but it's still worth it for some people.