WIPO Rules Against Owner Of Fake Websites

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

24 October 2003

In a report released on Wednesday, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) revealed that it has ruled against Patrick Ory, the owner of several misleading websites.

In a report on the ruling from the Organisation's internet dispute resolution centre, which stated that Ory's site, airfranceairlines.com should be closed down for infringing the rights of the French airline of the same name, WIPO revealed that Ory had registered nine other sites, including holidayinnhotels.org, us-airways.net, and british-air-ways.com.

According to the WIPO report, the look-alike sites created by Mr Ory in fact directed internet users to a website operated by a travel price comparison service, thus making him between $3 and $5 per referral, and depriving the legitimate business for which the customer had been searching of revenue.

Ruling in the Air France case earlier this month, the WIPO arbitrator judged that "he (Ory) registered the domain name at issue - and many other infringing domain names - with the clear intention of diverting internet users to a website that competes with (Air France's) services for personal gain."

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