London's Metropolitan (Met) Police are providing a more regular service for the suspension of domain names which offer (or appear to offer) counterfeit goods. This will offer clients an easy and effective way of helping to prevent the proliferation of online fakes.
The e-Crime Unit of the Metropolitan Police has been working with Nominet, the UK domain names registry, for a number of years now in an effort to prevent the growing number of websites being used to commit crimes. Often these sites offer counterfeit goods, or facilitate credit card fraud, using the appeal of well-known brands.
Operation Papworth, as the Met has named it, was recently brought to prominence in the UK and international press last Christmas when, it was reported, the Met had acted to shut down websites offering fake UGG boots, GHD hair straighteners and Tiffany jewelry. Since then, a number of further Operations have been carried out suspending thousands of domain names with relative ease.
Hogan Lovells' London office has been working closely with the Met Police to take down websites identified by the IP team, clients and indeed by the Met itself. The procedure has so far proved easy and efficient, with an authorised representative of the client having to sign a statement indicating that, to the best of its knowledge, the websites specified are, or appear to be, dealing in counterfeit goods or engaging in criminal activity. Once the statement is submitted, the Met liaise with Nominet to have the websites taken-down, which is done quickly and, in the vast majority of cases, without any objection from the domain name owner.
The procedure has so far proved easy and efficient, with an authorised representative of the client having to sign a statement indicating that, to the best of its knowledge, the websites specified are, or appear to be, dealing in counterfeit goods or engaging in criminal activity. Once the statement is submitted, the Met liaise with Nominet to have the websites taken-down, which is done quickly and, in the vast majority of cases, without any objection from the domain name owner.
Whilst clients (and Hogan Lovells on their behalf) are able to object to the use of domains names through Nominet directly, using the resources of the Met and relying on its enforcement tactics is proving a much quicker, simpler and cost-effective way of dealing with these domains.
NOTE: at present, only ".co.uk", ".org.uk" and ".me.uk" domains are being actioned by the Met. Hogan Lovells is liaising closely with the e-Crime Unit in an effort to extend its reach to other domains too.
