If a business claims to be called "XYZ" then is there a business registry site for the country it is in that can prove it has been registered and has a licence? What about copyright information? If it is claimed to be copyright for such a period of time and you want to know if its true, is there a website?\n\nthanks... Rich
122067
This is for US Businesses only:\n\n1. You can check their business credit report at Dun and Bradstreet, or a cheaper alternative is Experian Business\n\n2. For copyrights, check the federal database http://www.copyright.gov/records/ \n\nThe Better Business Bureau has information only on its members; and being a non-member does not necessarily indicate that a business is not legit.\n\nIf it is a company from another country, you may want to check the trade section of their embassy to find out where you can get information about a business.
571736
I doubt that it is copyrighted, but it is almost certainly trademarked. (The old Commodore 64 computer.)  The difference for your purposes is whether someone would argue that the shirts were somehow related to the computer.  So, questions to ask yourself are 1) Are you *trying* to copy the C-64? 2) Are you *implying* that you are selling shirts "from" Commodore?  And even if the answer is yes, 3) Will anyone still care?  (I suspect the answer to that one is no, although I don't know for sure.)\n\nYou are probably okay, but it is better to be cautious.
171460
As a rough rule of thumb, if a company wants to charge you for the privilege of registering / working for them, they are not legitimate!\n\nIf I was you I would avoid them, and save yourself the $29.98!
533313
Will you go to prison? Probably not.\n\nWill you be sued? Probably not without an opportunity to mend your ways.\n\nWill you get a "cease and desist" letter from the brand owner's lawyers? Increasingly likely, as there are more and more crawler systems on the market seeking trade mark abuse.\n\nAre you entitled to use an e-mail address brandname@yahoo.com? No. This is a prima facie case of "passing off". You could ultimately be sued for any income you make from a "passing off" activity. That is income, not profit.\n\nCan you use brand names in your site metatags? No, this is also potentially "passing off".\n\nIt is always best to get approval from the brand owners before generating any income on the back of their names or logos.
598625
Of course you can.  Many great works of entertainment have been created by partnerships, teams, couples, siblings, etc.  Its better to use your names than a company or corp. that doesn't legally exist yet.
23235
Check out the Small Business Administration web site -- they're a great resource for the small business owner. I listed a couple of other handy links as well. The first two are specific to Austin/Texas.\n\nTry reading up on the subject -- check out Amazon, your local bookstore or library. \n\nPrior to investing your time, money & effort into a business name, it is strongly advised that comprehensive research be conducted to ensure that the name you're interested in is truly available. \n\nThis entails searching the pending & registered Federal and State trademark files as well as the US National Common-Law files. Then, if clear, you can decide if you would like to file for a Federal or a State trademark. \n\nResearch is needed to make sure your trade name is legally available, before opening, before expansion, before incorporation or before designing your logo. Similarities in sound, appearance and meaning affect you too!\n\nThere are 16+ million trade names in use in the United States. Similar names matter, if close in sound, appearance or meaning. Similar names in related classes, distribution channels and customer matter too. You are affected by Common Law use (14 million), State Trademarks (500,000) and Federal Trademarks (2 million).
593144
That would actually be a trademark and NOT a copyright.\n\nTrademarks can be names of products or services, logos, slogans, packaging and even sounds and smells. In essence, a trademark can be almost anything that is used to identify a particular product or service. Registering a trademark grants the owner exclusive rights to the mark within the specified industry. \n\nOf course, it's necessary to research the mark comprehensively prior to filing to ensure that there is no possibility of infringing upon another party. \n\nTo register a trademark, contact either your Secretary of State for a State trademark or the US Patent & Trademark Office for a Federal trademark. \n\nIf you are only conducting business in one state, then a State trademark is most appropriate. If you conduct business in at least 2 states OR between the US & any other country, you can file for a Federal trademark.\n\nPrior to investing your time, money & effort into a name, it is strongly advised that comprehensive research be conducted to ensure that the name you're interested in is truly available. \n\nThis entails searching the pending & registered Federal and State trademark files as well as the US National Common-Law files. Then, if clear, you can decide if you would like to file for a Federal or a State trademark. \n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
91502
Typically, the DOS (department of state) will have the licencees information.  Some state sell the information, some don't.\n\nCheck there first.
4163
In the United States (and the law is similar in most countries), it isn't copyright that you need to worry about. Single words and titles aren't copywrited.  However, the word "entmoot" from the Lord of the Rings is probably subject to trademark protections, even though it may not be registered as a trademark.  The law can be complicated, and many tests are applied, but the basic question asked in trademark is whether the mark (in this "entmoot") is associated with the previous user and could cause confusion in a customer when the customer sees it used by the new user. That is, would someone buying a product with "entmoot" in the title assume that the product is associated with Tolkien/ Lord of the Rings because of the word.  I think they probably would, myself.\n\nThe US Trademark Office and Copyright Office have some useful information online if you want to pursue the question.  http://www.uspto.gov/main/faq/index.html
242649
I went to evertz.com and it seems to be a company tht sells hardware components.  tz.com seems to me as if they sell internet domains.
631089
You would first register it with:\n\nhttp://www.copyright.gov/\n\n\nAnd, then you would have to defend it.
44935
I don't know about the billing stuff, but when you go to register a domain name, there are people watching the servers to see what domain names are being searched to see if the available. When one shows available, they hurry up and register that name theirselves and when you got to pay and claim the domain, lo and behold, it is taken. That way, you have to contact the owner of the domain you originally wanted and buy it off of them. They charge an arm and a leg. So by buying domain names for next to nothing and selling them for a lot more, it is their way of making money. Its all a big scam.
118229
I was unable to locate any reference to such company on BBB, US and UK government records, or major search engines.\n\nIf this is a scam, which is possible, it is not widespread to trigger any news, or records yet.
277453
Look for a feature called "Domain Name Parking" which is offered by several registrars for less than a full-blown registration that is linked to a live website.\n\nNote to that this practice, often called "Domain Name Squatting" has a bad reputation and is generally frowned upon.\n\nAlso, registering a domain name that involves a patent or registered trade name or other corporate entity and then trying to sell it to them might just get you involved in a lawsuit.\n\nNot that that's what you've got in mind. I'm just trying to cover most of the angles for all readers. ;)
611670
What you are looking for is LICENSING, not sponsorships.  Check the websites of the organization's who's name/logo you want to use, and check out the licensing section - it will tell you who to contact and/or what the terms are for licensing their products/logos.
291346
Definitely talk to a lawyer about this.....it seems to me that you could protect your company name somehow by perhaps applying for a copyright or a trademark with the legal language stating that you only intend to enforce the C/TM for business purposes.
157222
I am a business librarian and I checked several business databases and did not see this company listed.\n\nTherefore, it is highly unlikely that this is a valid, legal business or company.