Cyber squatter who bought domain name for one of Australia’s biggest horse races won’t give it up unless the event gives him $1million
- Cyber squatter bought website domain magicmillions.com from US for $2,500
- Requested $1million from Magic Millions event organisers to give up domain
- Magic Millions racing carnival one of the biggest events on Gold Coast calendar
- Annual event attended by royalty in recent years uses magicmillions.com.au
A professional cyber squatter who bought a website domain similar to one of Australia’s biggest horse races is trying to cash in by demanding $1million from event organisers.
North Queensland resident Jeff Geaney bought the domain magicmillions.com from a US company for $2,500 two-and-a-half years ago.
The Magic Millions racing carnival is one of the biggest events on the Gold Coast calendar held in January each year and is owned by renowned businessman Gerry Harvey and his wife Katie Page.
The renowned event which has been attended by the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall in recent years as an ambassador uses the website magicmillions.com.au.
The slightly shorter magicmillions.com domain bought by Mr Geaney currently consists of ‘coming soon’ badge, a photo of lotto balls and bank notes, along with an email address.
He claims his domain has been flooded with thousands of emails from people who have forgotten the ‘au’ at the end.
‘We picked it up from a company in the US that was selling it for about $2,500,’ he told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
He offered Magic Millions organisers $1 million for the domain and claimed they counter-offered with a bid of $1000.
‘They said we are trying to make money off their trademark,’ Mr Geaney told the publication.
Cyber squatting is the act of registering or or using an internet domain name with the aim to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.
Mr Geaney describes himself on LinkedIn as a ‘experienced domain technician and domainer with a demonstrated history of working in the computer domain name industry’.
Mr Geaney lists his workplace on LinkedIn and social media as World Internet Authority, which owns magicmillions.com, according to the international domain names list.
He previously registered the domain royalweddingrings.com in a bid profit from the 2011 royal wedding Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Geaney and the Magic Millions for comment.
First held in 1987, the $2million 1200 metre Magic Millions Classic is for two-year-old horses bought at a Magic Millions sale auction.
The week-long Magic Millions carnival began on Saturday and ends with the $10.25 million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday next Saturday.
ARTICLE FROM: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9130473/Cyber-squatter-bought-domain-one-Australias-biggest-horse-races-demands-1million.html
