The following is yet another potential scam, sent to anyone with a registered domain name. It's meant to imply they are affiliated with the US Government (they aren't), and that you are in danger of missing out on "copyrighting" your domain name (you aren't, and in fact, can't). It goes on to explain that in order to be afforded protection under Copyright law, you must register and file your web site and contents.
This is a half truth, at best.
The act of creating a work and publishing on the internet conveys a copyright on that work. You, as the creator, hold all rights to it's use, and can demand anyone using it to take it down. By law (The Digital Millenium Copyright Act or DMCA) states that you can do so, and most of the time, this will be enough to have it removed. The difference between this "simple" copyright and filing a true copyright is that the "true" one costs money, and allows you to seek compensation if you can prove it infringed on you making money from it.
Unlikely to ever be of use.
If you get one of these, ignore it. Better yet, report the sender as being a spammer. They are sending alarmist messages in the hopes of snaring the unwary or those just starting out on the internet. Don't be one of them.
If you think you still need to officially copyright your web site's content, contact an attorney or the actual US Copyright office, not this company, which came on line in July of 2007. Be careful out there.
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Subject: Attention NA: This is your Domain Copyright Registration Notice
To: <domain's email address>
US Copyright Registry
244 Fifth Ave, Suite #2279
New York, NY 10001-7604
www.USCopyrightRegistry.com
support@USCopyrightRegistry.com
Toll Free: 1-800-634-5760
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
ATT: Owner's Name
ADMINISTRATIVE CONTACT
<<Owner's contact information>>
www.DOMAIN.EXT Notice Tracking Number: CR369260
Please be advised that the above noted website has not been protected and is now available for copyright registration
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW
TITLE 92, Sec. 107 to 122, the owner of copyright under this title has the exclusive rights to do and to authorize any of the following: Rights of attribution and integrity: the author shall have the right to claim authorship of that work, and prevent the use of his or her name as the author of any work which he or she did not create.
Be advised: Protecting a website is the responsibility of the owner of the website and must be registered through the United States Patent and Trademark office to legally prevent others from infringing on the owners rights and copying a website. It is the responsibility of the website owner to complete registration to protect their intellectual property and bring suit in federal court for infringement and obtain statutory damages up to $150,000.
Domain name and trademark registration does not register your website for copyright registration and it is the responsibility of the website owner to register with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to complete registration Anyone who violates any of the exclusive rights of the website owners registered copyright as provided by sections 106 through 122 who infringes on the copyright registration may sued in federal court for infringement and obtain injunctions on such terms as it may be reasonable to prevent or restrain infringement. In the event of infringement, the infringer is liable for:
The website owners actual damages and any additional profits of the infringer, as provided by subsection (b); or statutory damages, as provided by subsection (c).
(b) Actual Damages And Profits. “ The website owner of copyright is entitled to recover the actual damages suffered by him or her as a result of the infringement, and any profits of the infringer that are attributable to the infringement and are not taken into account in computing the actual damages. In establishing the infringers profits, the website owner of copyright is required to present proof only of the infringers gross revenue , and the infringer is required to prove his or her deductible expenses and the elements of profit attributable to factors other than the copyrighted work.
© Statutory Damages. “ Except as provided by clause, the website owner of the copyright may elect, at any time before final judgement is rendered, to recover, instead of actual damages and profits, an award of statutory damages for all infringements involved in the action, with respect to any one work, for which any one infringer is liable individually. registration by a third party, the UDRP may be applied under the following conditions.
You are required to advise the US Copyright Registry of your intent to license this website if registration is administered through the UCR as this is your final notice.
Note: you may disregard this notice. If you disregard this notice or fail to reply:
UCR and the United States Patent and Trademark office will NOT be liable for infringement of your website, interruption of business activity or business losses.
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
If you fail to reply to this notice this website will NOT be registered through UCR to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. You must advise us of your intent to secure your website in order for registration to be completed through UCR.
Call 1-800-634-5760
Notice Tracking Number: 369260
The information in this letter contains confidential and/or legally privileged information from the notification processing department of the UCR. This information is intended only for the use of the individual(s) named above. Email support@USCopyrightRegistry.com if you do not want to receive further updates from UCR. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents for this letter is strictly prohibited.
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