Delhi High Court Orders Injunction Against Fraudulent Domains In Colgate Palmolive Case
Delhi High Court Orders Injunction Against Fraudulent Domains In Colgate Palmolive Case
In a recent ruling, Delhi High Court has issued significant interim directions in the case of Colgate Palmolive Company & Anr. v. Nixi & Anr., addressing allegations of trademark misuse and fraudulent activities through unauthorized domain registrations.
Justice Mini Pushkarna addressed the plaintiffs' plea to restrain defendant no. 3, GoDaddy.com LLC, from further registering or making available for registration the domain www.colgatepalmolive.work. Allegedly, this domain was used to impersonate the plaintiffs and deceive job seekers by promising employment opportunities in exchange for monetary deposits.
The plaintiffs initiated legal proceedings seeking permanent injunctions against trademark and copyright infringement, as well as passing off. They alleged that the defendants utilized domain names and email IDs resembling those of the plaintiffs (e.g., http://www.colgatepalmoliveindia.in) to perpetrate job scams under the guise of the Colgate Group. Despite previous court orders freezing and blocking relevant bank accounts, emails, and domains, the defendants persisted in their fraudulent activities. On June 12, 2023, they registered a new domain, http://www.colgatepalmolive.work, and continued to deceive job seekers with forged interview invitations, inducing them to deposit money for fictitious job opportunities.
The court's interim directions include blocking the domain www.colgatepalmolive.work and requiring GoDaddy.com LLC to furnish detailed information about the domain's registrants. Additionally, financial institutions such as Canara Bank and telecommunications company Reliance JIO INFOCOMM Limited have been instructed to provide comprehensive details regarding associated bank accounts and mobile numbers linked to the fraudulent activities.
These measures are aimed at protecting the reputation and intellectual property rights of Colgate Palmolive while safeguarding job seekers from falling victim to deceptive practices.
The court has scheduled a follow-up hearing on July 8, 2024, to monitor compliance with its directives and further address the ongoing legal proceedings.
