This article is from page 6 of the 2006-05-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
BUSINESSES in Ennis have been warned not to give in to requests for money, after at least two companies received letters from cybersquatters.
The owners of the Belleek Shop and the Temple Gate Hotel were sent letters, asking them to hand over €2,100, in exchange for ownership of a .eu domain.
The letter was sent to the businesses last week, from a company, entitled Domainguard Ireland, which stated that it was based close to Ennis.
The letter, signed by a woman, and seen by The Clare People , stated that the importance of having a .eu website could not be “overestimated.”
It suggests companies stand to make a huge saving and avoid legally complex processes, by coughing up the €2,100.
“The problem with open registration is that someone could register your site and then either sell it on the open market to someone, at an average price of €7,500 or worse, they can put damaging items on it and force you to buy it back for many times that amount,” said the letter.
“We are a Clare-based company and we secured many .eu sites so that we could guard them and safely transfer them back to their owners without any massive payouts or any court proceedings,” it added.
Managing Director of The Belleek Shop, Ronan Cahir said he was “disgusted” to receive the letter and has no intention of paying the money.
“There are two things we could do. We could go to court and fight to get it back, or we could succumb to the blackmail and pay the money.
“Anyone can purchase a domain name for €12.50, but they don’t have any legal right to use that name,” said Mr Cahir, who confirmed he has sought legal advice over the issue.
“If the .eu address is used or activated, we will take the corrective action through the courts,” he added.
He said he has operated under www.belleekshop.com for almost ten years and this has been to his company’s satisfaction.
President of Ennis Chamber of Commerce and owner of The Temple Gate Hotel John Madden – whose company binned the letter it received last week – said Ennis businesses must be vigilant.
“We have sent out an email to our 190 members (Chamber), asking them not to rush in and pay the €2,100. It would appear there are many of these sites being registered,” said Mr Madden.
The Clare People’s attempts to contact the mobile phone number on the letter proved unsuccessful.