Dell sues cybersquatters for URL diversion

HARDWARE FIRM Dell has taken legal action against individuals alleging they infringed its trade marks by registering domains that could be confused with its own.

The case, filed two days ago, alleges Alf Temme, Lars Crispin Temme and Kim Temme, created domains under the trading name of Romfab registered as d3ell.com, de3LL.com, d4ell.com, de4ll.com, dedll.com, derll.com and dxell.com.

These, claims Dell in a filing to an Austin district court, are deliberately intended to take people to websites if they spell the URL wrongly. Then, claims Dell, the websites create a cookie on people's machines, autoredirecting people to Linkshare. The individuals in question, alleges Dell, are affiliates who get credit for "referring" customers and make commission on the sales.

Dell alleges that the individuals have registered thousands of domain names using variations or misspellings of well known trademarks and domain names.

Dell has paid the individuals and Linkshare fees and commission they weren't entitled to get because of the way the domains were set up.

Dell wants the court to force the defendants to hand over the offending domain names, and to pay damages and legal fees. µ