What is cybersquatting exactly ?
 

So, someone made me an offer through Sedo of 60 EURO for a domain name that i own since 12/21/2004. I made a counter offer at 800 EURO. Today the guy came back again with the same offer of 60 EURO and a message saying: "last offer before legal procedure in order to retrieve this domain name which is currently being cybersquatted".

The domain name is a two dictionary words in french. What should I do ?

chill.. he maybe just tries to snap your domain for a bargain..
if he could take if off you legaly, he woudnt bid $60...

By making an offer before actually claiming rights over the name he pretty much shot himself in the foot.

Tell him that, to the best of your knowledge, the domain name is generic and doesn't infringe any trademark, that his threats sound like reverse domain hijacking, a practice of unseating domain name registrants by accusing them of violating weak or non-existent trademarks. Finally ask him to provide proof of his identity and his (alleged) rights over the name through traditional channels (rather than threatened you through Sedo)..

I don't understand the term cybersquatting.... A domain name that isn't being used is nothing more than an undeveloped property....

If I buy a peice of land along the freeway and never do anything with it, is that illegal? Of course not. It's no different with domain names. I bought the domain name, and I can do what I want with it. If it's that much of a problem slap something up there really quick or redirect to something you already have online.

I agree with you but unfortunately there is cybersquatting laws.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticyb...Protection_Act

If it is deemed you registered the domain in bad faith and intended to profit by leveraging a trademarks or high traffic website you lose. Not only the domain but a few bucks too.

I once bought a domain for like $10. used it heavily, had decents hits.. someone offered me $80 for it, and I sold it.

two years later, he forgot to renew or something, I bought it back for $20 ;)

I was under the impression that this only applies to trademarks... so if there is no trademark, like probably in this case with 2 word generic, they can't really do shit to get the domain from you....

If there is no trademark they can't do much, which is why I advised in my first post to request proof of trademark infringement.

2 word generics can get you in trouble very easily though.

Apple followed by just about anything consumer eletronic related will do. :2 cents:

haha nice