Bank and board member file cybersquatting claim over two domain names they call defamatory.
Midwest BankCentre, a bank in St. Louis, has filed a lawsuit to get control of the domain names MidwestBankCheated.com and JerryScheideggerCheatedMe.com. Jerry Scheidegger is a board member of the bank.
Both domain names lead to content making allegations about the bank and a foreclosure. The allegations are made in response to a foreclosure in which the person claims Scheidegger was enriched after buying property out of the foreclosure.
The lawsuit is an in rem action under the since both domain names are protected by GoDaddy’s whois proxy service. Given the content on the domain names, I’m sure the bank knows who is behind them.
Rather than filing suit in Verisign’s district in Virginia, the plaintiffs sued in GoDaddy’s jurisdiction. I suspect the plaintiffs just want to have GoDaddy reveal the domain owner’s identity; the bank says it has been unsuccessful persuading GoDaddy to remove the proxy.
Midwest BankCentre is seeking the transfer of the domain names under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA).
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