Personal Names Question

[nicpal]

I have recently been aproached by an agent of a well known professional athlete to acquire the domain name for this athlete. The person who currently owns the domain has no interest in the domain other than a fan and/or to profit from it. He dose own a related name of the college team that player played for which he sells memorabilia from. The agent sent him a letter telling him that he would give him some autographed items, etc. for the name and that the domain was for the athlete's org. but he still wouldn't relinquish the domain. He then followed this with a threatening letter and the other party has now made his domain details private via Verisign and also filed a LLC in the state of Florida on July 30th. What is this guy trying to do as he obviously has no rights to this domain?

 

[jberryhill]

What is this guy trying to do as he obviously has no rights to this domain?

Some people have a mistaken notion that using NSI private registration service, or hiding behind a one-man corp. or LLC, will protect them from liability.

 

[GT Web]

I see why you would be interested nicpal...

those are some very sweet domains at allmvp!

 

[Steen]

Can't the agent send a C&D and/or then take it to WIPO?

 

[nicpal]

Can't the agent send a C&D and/or then take it to WIPO?

That is what is next, but I have worked with him before and the guy who has the domain is about half an hour from here, so he thought that maybe we could work something out first without dragging this guy and the athlete into it. The negative exposure works both ways in these cases.

 

[jberryhill]

There is at least one athletic "agent" running around in this world, whose scam consists of pretending to be authorized by an athlete, threatening domain registrants, and then turning around and selling the domain names to the athletes.

When you hear from someone who is someone else's "agent", ask for proof.

 

[Steen]

There is at least one athletic "agent" running around in this world, whose scam consists of pretending to be authorized by an athlete, threatening domain registrants, and then turning around and selling the domain names to the athletes.

Haha, that's a good one.