Gucci targets nearly 200 anonymous cybersquatters
Luxury brand Gucci has sued nearly 200 anonymous cybersquatters in a trademark infringement and counterfeiting complaint.
In a lawsuit filed on Monday, July 18, Gucci targeted domain names registered by “individuals, partnerships and businesses unknown” for earning substantial profits from the unauthorised use of its trademarks and selling fake replica goods.
The Italy-based brand listed around 20 examples of trademarks it owns including word marks for ‘Gucci’ and logos.
Gucci has named the individuals as “The individuals, partnerships and unincorporated associations identified on schedule A and Does 1-10.”
The complaint, filed at the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, gives examples of 193 domain names including famous-handbags.com, gcnewzealand.top, gcsingapore.top and gucciparisfrance.com.
According to Gucci the defendants are going by aliases used in their domain names.
The defendants’ domains, according to Gucci, are registered with registrars in multiple countries and the defendants appear to reside or operate in foreign jurisdictions including China.
In its complaint, Gucci said: “Defendants are part of an ongoing scheme to create and maintain an illegal marketplace enterprise on the World Wide Web, which confuses consumers regarding the source of defendants’ goods.
“Defendants are continuously infringing and inducing others to infringe the Gucci marks by using them to advertise, promote, sell, and offer to sell goods bearing the Gucci marks.”
Gucci is seeking damages plus attorneys’ fees.
