'Typo-squatters' draw money from error
3 November 2003
The practice of registering websites under variants of popular domains is proving lucrative for typo-squatters around the world.
Typo-squatting, as it is known, has become a multi-million pound industry, exploiting the popularity of a variety of domains, including retailers, service providers and celebrity names.
One US businessman has made millions by typo-squatting more than 8,000 companies and brand names. Mistyping addresses for such stars as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez may all lead to pornographic sites owned by him.
Mobile phone company Phones4U is a multiple victim of typo-squatting, the websites www.phone4u.co.uk, www.fones4u.co.uk, and www.phones4you.co.uk attracting customers who might otherwise go to its actual site, www.phones4u.co.uk.
'It's so easy for people to make typos,' explained Julian Neal, Phones4U's marketing director, to the Independent.
'These companies are parasites, lazy cheats feeding off this fact, rather than bothering to create their own distinct image.'
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