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Cyber bullies told to goof off

Lilly Corp alleges silly site is cyber squatting

Industrial giant Lilly Industries has been branded a cyber bully for allegedly interfering with Goofoff.com and its Web business. Rick Schwartz, owner of the domain Goofoff.com, is so outraged by the alleged bullying tactics he has decided to sue the company instead. The dispute hinges on the fact that Lilly has a stain remover called Goof Off and claims the domain should be theirs by rights. Schwartz says that his Goofoff site is a an entertainment and travel site and denies he is cybersquatting. "According to Websters [dictionary], a 'Goof off' is a noun that means a person that wastes time or avoids work; a shirker. As such 'Goofoff.com' is being used quite appropriately," said Schwartz. John C Elbin, VP and CFO at Lilly disagrees. "We own the Goof Off brand and will defend it vigorously," he told The Register this afternoon. Elbin wouldn't be drawn on the detail of the case insisting it was in the hands of lawyers. But that hasn't stopped Schwartz from waging a one-man verbal assault against the company. "These 'corporate bullies' intimidate small firms and individuals into relinquishing domains through the threat of litigation despite the fact that they have no legal rights to the domain," he said. "The only 'confusion' is in their minds -- just another example of a large company that decided they can force a small business to succumb to their demands," he said. ®

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