List brokerage and management firm Worldata yesterday contacted a firm advertising sales leads under the name World Data Direct after several industry clients and customers passed along an e-mail promotion that the sound-alike firm sent earlier in the day.
“We contacted the firm and left them a message that they are infringing on our federal registration and trademark, and that if they do not cease and desist the use of our name and brand that we will take immediate legal action,” said Jay Schwedelson, corporate vice president at Worldata, Boca Raton, FL. “We have also contacted our attorneys and made them aware of the situation.”
Though the e-mail contained no contact information other than a generic e-mail address and a location of Denver, it had a link to a Web site that provided telephone and fax numbers but no physical address or employee names.
No one answered the phone so the demand was made in a voicemail message, Schwedelson said.
This is the third time that Worldata has dealt with a situation like this, and in both previous cases the other party backed down.
