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35 Suffolk U. L. Rev. 277 (2001)
Cybersquatting: Identity Theft in Disguise

handle is hein.journals/sufflr35 and id is 285 raw text is: NOTES Cybersquatting: Identity Theft in Disguise In some respects, the growth of the Internet has resembled the Wild West: individuals, governments, corporations, and other groups have dashed out to establish a presence on the electronic frontier. In some respects, space in this new frontier is limited, and thus can be a precious commodity. Not surprisingly, opportunists, legitimate or otherwise, are staking their claims. Some, anticipating another Gold Rush, have seized as much territory (i.e., domain names) as possible, not necessarily to put that territory to productive uses, but instead to profit from the late-comers who might eventually desire the now-occupied space. I I. INTRODUCTION The development of the Internet has changed society in that it has advanced the way that society communicates, receives entertainment, and conducts business.2 Despite the Internet's beneficial impact on society, there lies a dark side associated with the Internet, which has increased recently due to its popularity and accessibility.3 Cybersquatting, a problem spawned by the Internet, occurs when an individual registers an Internet domain name before trademark holders or celebrities have the opportunity to register the name 1. Neil L. Martin, The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act: Empowering Trademark Owners, But Not the Last Word on Domain Name Disputes, 25 J. CORP. L 591, 591 (2000) (comparing Internet to conquest of Wild West). 2. Margaret Mannix, The Web's Dark Side, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, Aug. 28, 2000, at 36 (discussing changes in society because of Internet). It is estimated that 144 million Americans utilize the Internet, and billions of dollars in revenue are generated from all forms of E-Commerce. Id. 3. Id. (discussing problems associated with Internet's increased popularity). Because the Internet is so new, all of the negative impacts are unknown, but some include online adoption seams, an Internet serial killer, credit card theft, cyberstalking, and an increase in the ease of stealing a person's identity. Id. at 36-37. In 1999, the Federal Trade Commission received over 18,000 Internet-related complaints, more than doubling those filed in 1998. Id. at 38. In the first six months of the year 2000, the Federal Trade Commission received 11,000 complaints. Id. at 38. In 1999, the FBI handled 1,500 online child sex cases, an increase of 800 from the previous year. Id. A recent survey conducted by the FBI and the Computer Security Institute shows that of the companies surveyed, 300 reported losses greater than $265 million because of cybercrimes. Id.

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