I need assistance

[ChefKnivesToGo]

I got an email from a guy who asked if we sell sheds and showed me this website that is using our artwork as well our name minus the s.

https://chefknivetogo.com/about-us/

Any suggestions how I can make them stop?

[ex1580]

Report them to the hosting company. In this case it looks like Hostinger, but they seem to have moved it recently so not sure how up to date that is, and they could just move it again. It only takes a minute to submit the complaint. https://www.hostinger.com/report-abuse

If they sell products you can report them to the credit card processors they use who have fraud teams that will go after them. That's handy!

You can also submit a complaint to ICANN but I am not sure how much they can do. Only takes a minute to submit complaints so it's a good thing to let these places know. https://icann-nsp.my.site.com/complianc ... -registrar

[ex1580]

Almost forgot, you can report them to their registrar here: https://abuse.registrar.eu/

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Thanks Sam! I'll do those things today.

[jmcnelly85]

I know you said you weren’t going to use the sword, but it seems they have chosen war.

[ex1580]

Thanks Sam! I'll do those things today.

Good luck! These things can be a real bear to deal with. You could flip it on them and start selling furniture.

[ex1580]

If you haven't already you may also want to let whomever manages your website know. This would be a good time for a security audit of your business. Make sure you are using multi-factor authentication for accounts that can manage your infrastructure services (registrar, email, web host, etc) and make sure your domain is locked and cant be transferred at the registrar. Then say the words "our emails need to be DMARC compliant because someone is trying to impersonate us" to your tech person.

The reason for DMARC is that even if you are successful in taking down this one website there is no stopping them from trying again with a different one. This is why a lot of businesses park similar domains so they cant be used by scammers. By using DMARC they cant spoof emails from you. Simple as that. This looks like it will take a little work for your domain but Google Workspace has decent instructions for getting SPF and DKIM working (and you will need to click some buttons in there).

[Jeff B]

Thanks for the link Mark, I bought a nice toolbox from them!

[ex1580]

Thanks for the link Mark, I bought a nice toolbox from them!

Knife toolbox! But does it fit in the back of your truck?

[EucJr]

Mark,

I’m sorry you are going through this. Have you trademarked your logo and other IP? If you do not currently have a trademark registered, I’d suggest you start that process right away - regardless of what happens here. Trademark and copyright protections are fairly robust.

Unfortunately, this problem is prevalent enough that there are now services that will effectively automate the brand and site protection process. I’m not sure of the cost, but it is worth looking into.

If you want to handle it on your own, I would send letters/emails to the domain registrar, domain host and the proxy service. The proxy service will forward your cease and desist; they might require a subpoena to unmask - which is what you really want - but there may be several layers.

As someone else noted, the card processor may be your straightest path to these people and the quickest way to disable them. Please reach out if you need more guidance, I no longer practice in this area of law, but I used to dabble in it.

I think buying more knives is support for the CKTG legal protection fund, right? Off I go; I’m here for you. Surely, my S.O. Will understand that I didn’t “just buy -another- knife.”

[XexoX]

Mark,

I’m sorry you are going through this. Have you trademarked your logo and other IP? If you do not currently have a trademark registered, I’d suggest you start that process right away - regardless of what happens here. Trademark and copyright protections are fairly robust.

Unfortunately, this problem is prevalent enough that there are now services that will effectively automate the brand and site protection process. I’m not sure of the cost, but it is worth looking into.

If you want to handle it on your own, I would send letters/emails to the domain registrar, domain host and the proxy service. The proxy service will forward your cease and desist; they might require a subpoena to unmask - which is what you really want - but there may be several layers.

As someone else noted, the card processor may be your straightest path to these people and the quickest way to disable them. Please reach out if you need more guidance, I no longer practice in this area of law, but I used to dabble in it.

I think buying more knives is support for the CKTG legal protection fund, right? Off I go; I’m here for you. Surely, my S.O. Will understand that I didn’t “just buy -another- knife.”

Thank you. I'm not a lawyer, I don't play one on TV, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I have followed "IP" cases since 2003 when Groklaw started (side note, I do miss PJ and how she explained the law). And I did enjoy hearing that Richard P. Liebowitz was recently disbarred. You gave the advice I thought of giving him. If this continues, Mr. Mark will need the name of a lawyer who specializes in "IP' law that he can trust. (I put IP in quotes, since, as I understand it, it is really copyright law, trademark law, and patent law, which are not interchangeable.)

[Kerneldrop]

I can refer Mark to an IP attorney, should he want one, but this isn't an IP problem.
It's a phishing problem involving non-USA folks.

WHOIS search results
Domain Name: CHEFKNIVETOGO.COM
Registry Domain ID: 2865688036_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.registrar.eu
Registrar URL: http://www.openprovider.com
Updated Date: 2024-03-21T19:29:56Z
Creation Date: 2024-03-21T19:29:50Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2025-03-21T19:29:50Z
Registrar: Hosting Concepts B.V. d/b/a Registrar.eu
Registrar IANA ID: 1647
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: abuse@registrar.eu
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +31.104482297
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Name Server: NS1.DNS-PARKING.COM
Name Server: NS2.DNS-PARKING.COM
DNSSEC: unsigned
URL of the ICANN Whois Inaccuracy Complaint Form: https://www.icann.org/wicf/
>>> Last update of whois database: 2024-03-24T20:19:45Z <<<

[ex1580]

I can refer Mark to an IP attorney, should he want one, but this isn't an IP problem.
It's a phishing problem involving non-USA folks.

WHOIS search results
Domain Name: CHEFKNIVETOGO.COM
Registry Domain ID: 2865688036_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.registrar.eu
Registrar URL: http://www.openprovider.com
Updated Date: 2024-03-21T19:29:56Z
Creation Date: 2024-03-21T19:29:50Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2025-03-21T19:29:50Z
Registrar: Hosting Concepts B.V. d/b/a Registrar.eu
Registrar IANA ID: 1647
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: abuse@registrar.eu
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +31.104482297
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Name Server: NS1.DNS-PARKING.COM
Name Server: NS2.DNS-PARKING.COM
DNSSEC: unsigned
URL of the ICANN Whois Inaccuracy Complaint Form: https://www.icann.org/wicf/
>>> Last update of whois database: 2024-03-24T20:19:45Z <<<

Exactly. This is why I cut to the chase and suggested the easiest bit that will likely get the job done and keep the business safe. Yes, there are other things like cease and desist letters, but they rarely work, especially outside of the USA. I am an IT professional, not a lawyer. My job is to keep the ship afloat, not talk about who to blame after it has sunk.

[atang]

This happens when you’re good at what you do. Bummer and congrats lol.

[Radar53]

Yes!! "The Internet of Things" is just great, until it's not. The problem is that it's now sooooooo complicated and interwoven these days, that very few people really know what's going on, or how to fix it. I hope that you're able to get good advice / direction and that you can have it sorted promptly.

Business is difficult enough without have to try & navigate this s**t

[ChefKnivesToGo]

I asked a customer who emailed me and they said they found it on a google product search.

[XexoX]

I asked a customer who emailed me and they said they found it on a google product search.

Would that be a paid ad then? I'm clueless on these things.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

I'm not sure but they will allow free ads.

[ex1580]

That is in the "sponsored" section. You can report it to Google here: https://www.registry.google/report/

It might be easier to report them to the phishing team. https://safebrowsing.google.com/safebro ... ish/?hl=en

Or both.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Yes I actually used this one: https://safebrowsing.google.com/safebro ... ish/?hl=en

I also reported them to Open Provider, which said it would contact the owner and give them 5 days before shutting them down.

They responded quickly.

We have informed the reseller about your complaint and he will investigate this issue. If we do not receive any update from them, we will suspend the domain after 2024-03-30 16:31:09 CET and it will stop working.

Please, check this article about abuse procedure in order to know more about the responsibilities of the registrar: https://support.openprovider.eu/hc/en-u ... ting-abuse.

Have a nice day.
Kind regards,
Abuse Team