Legal Question in Technology Law in New York

Website domain stolen by ISP

I used to work for an Internet Service Provider that also does web hosting. A few months back, while I was still working for them, I bought the domain name rockbottomstones_dot_com, a domain I intended to use to start a side business of my own. I own the domain, purchased in my name on my credit card. I set up the site to be hosted by the ISP I was working for, but never got a chance to do anything with it. I quit working for them a month ago, and today I remembered I had the domain, put it in my browser, and low and behold, the site is occupied by a company I don't know and didn't authorize use to. The only way someone could upload information to that site is if they had a username and password to do so, which I never set up. Someone at the ISP had to have given out the information. I tried to contact the person named on the site to see how they got access and if they got charged to use it, with no response. I have a copy of the website that was there, and I have moved the domain to another service so that it cant be used. Do I have a case against the ISP I worked for? Isn't this akin to theft of service? They have been messing with me ever since I quit, logging my email and internet use (through them). What should I do?


Asked on 8/11/07, 10:03 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
John Friedman Law Office of John K. Friedman

Re: Website domain stolen by ISP

It sounds like you're the victim of a theft to me. More troubling are your allegations of the ISP's messing with your e-mail account as well as your access to the 'net generally.

I think at the least you need to learn the extent of what they've done and put them on notice that you'll not tolerate future abuses. This is most effectively done with a letter from a lawyer (a so-called "cease and desist" letter).

If you'd like to discuss these issues you can contact my office at 212.366.1324.

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Answered on 8/13/07, 11:11 am
Anthony Colleluori The Law Offices of Anthony J. Colleluori & Associates PLLC

Re: Website domain stolen by ISP

Sounds like very strange behavior. I would in fact contact a lawyer who knows about the internet and hire him to investigat the behavior. He will have to get an investigator to speak to witnesses. If everything you say is true, you are probably owed some money and may have rights to more.

If you don't mind speaking with a downstate attorney, you may contact me through the links below.

Good Luck.

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Answered on 8/12/07, 12:00 am


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