Slashdot Mirror
How Effective is Online Dispute Resolution?
An anonymous reader asks: "I recently had a website stolen from my ownership and removed from my hosting company. The hosting companies all say that everything looked legitimate to them, but I know it isn't and I can prove it. ICANN, WIPO and other dispute resolution services are expensive and I do not have the money to pursue. What alternatives are there as far as online dispute resolutions and other forms of mediation? I have talked to a computer lawyer and they were of no help because they were not familiar with this situation either. What methods of dispute resolution (auctions, domain names, etc.) have others at Slashdot used? How effective are they?"
I would see what just writing a letter to them, asking what they plan to do to rectify their mistake brings.
Then start looking into suing them. They helped another person steal your property. It doesn't really matter that they thought they were being helpful. I might be inclined to file a police report. It's new, you read slashdot, experiment. I'd find out as much as I could about this area of law, and try to sue them in my jurisdiction in small claims. I'd write my representatives at every level, my state attorny general, and maybe the occasional newspaper. Even bring it before a city counsel, they pass all kinds of crazy crap from time to time. There's no reason they couldn't have an irrational ordinance added to the books which might be used to lend a quixotic weight to your cause.
Even if you don't get your way, you might make their lives a little more miserable.
But since they stole your domain, it should be reasonably easy to track down who they are. If they move it to another registrar, file a police report charging them with recieving stolen goods (if an mp3 or a program is a good, a domain is too). Get in their face too.
I bet for a few bucks in stamps, a ream of paper, and free time, you can cause a lot of trouble. Spread the anger around, don't hog it all for yourself.
Who knows what you'd learn and other opportunities would avail themselves as you pursue another expertise.
Oh and those broadbandreports people would probably be a hell of a lot more useful than goobers like me.
Go down to your local police station and file a police report saying that your electronic busniess name and address that you were paying X amount per Y time were stolen from you. Do a look up on the current "owner." Present all your information to your local police and you should at least be able to get a misd. theft on the individual.
I don't know if it would work, but it is worth a shot. I know my local police would atleast look into it.