Example Trademark Cease & Desist Letter

Waiver:

Below is an example of a trademark cease and desist (C&D) letter reported on www.chillingeffects.org website. We disclaim all liability and recommend that the reader consult with a competent attorney. Do NOT rely on this example. Note: this exemplary letter does NOT establish an attorney-client relationship nor does it constitute legal advice.  For another example of a trademark cease and desist letter, click here and for an example of Search Engine Results Page/Search Engine Optimization SERP/SEO key word trademark infringement, click here.

Brief Overview:

Most C&D letters include a combination of one or more of the following six sections (1) “gorilla chest thumping”; (2) facts about the infringement; (3) citations to cases and statutes; (4) a list of potential remedies; (5) mention of the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA); and (6) a reservation of rights.  What follows is an alleged real world example of a cease and desist letter that is specific to unique facts and/or to registered marks that are recognized by many consumers.

Example:

March 31, 2009

Sender Information:
Tiffany (NJ), LLC.
Sent by:
STEPHEN M. GAFFIGAN, P.A.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33301, USA

Recipient Information:

Digg, Inc.
USA
Sent via: email

Re: Tiffany (NJ), LLC./Trademark Counterfeiting by www.tiffanya.com

Dear Sir/Madam:

We represent Tiffany (NJ), LLC. (“Tiffany”), in certain intellectual property matters.

Tiffany is the owner or exclusive licensee of the world-famous TIFFANY, TIFFANY & CO., T & CO and ELSA PERETTI trademarks (the “Tiffany Marks”). Tiffany owns or licenses numerous trademark registrations worldwide for the Tiffany Marks, including, but not limited, to the following United States Federal Trademark Registrations:

Mark Reg. No. Reg. Date

TIFFANY & CO. (Arch Design) 0,023,573 September 5, 1893

T & CO 0,261,711 September 24, 1929

TIFFANY (Stylized) 0,133,063 July 6, 1920

PORTFOLIO 1,643,550 May 7, 1991

T & CO. 1,669,365 December 24, 1991

TIFFANY & CO. SCHLUMBERGER 1,818,891 February 1, 1994

FIREWORKS 1,861,757 November 8, 1994

LUCIDA 2,526,034 January 1, 2002

LUCIDA 2,602,024 July 30, 2002

STREAMERICA 2,677,403 January 21, 2003

ATLAS 2,886,655 September 21, 2004

PERETTI 1,787,861 August 17, 1993

ELSA PERETTI 1,799,272 October 19, 1993

ELSA PERETTI 1,807,381 November 30, 1993

which are registered in International Classes 8 and 14 and are used in connection with the manufacture and distribution of, among other things, high quality earrings, necklaces, bangles, bracelets, rings, charms, pendants, bookmarks, cuff links, key chains and money clips. These Registrations constitute conclusive evidence of our client’s ownership of the Tiffany Marks as well as Tiffany’s exclusive right to use these marks. As a matter of law, these trademark Registrations are constructive notice to your company of Tiffany’s rights in the marks.

It has come to Tiffany’s attention that your company provides online services to www.tiffanya.com, which is offering for sale counterfeit Tiffany goods. The websitewww.tiffanya.com is using your website to post photo files which contain material which infringes upon Tiffany’s intellectual property rights and which promote its web based businesses which are offering for sale goods bearing counterfeits of the Tiffany Marks. The infringing material can be found athttp://digg.com/arts_culture/Jewelry_From_the_bones_of_women_Extravagance_Oomph/who.

Furthermore, www.tiffanya.com is using Tiffany’s famous name and trademarks to divert traffic to the website in violation of multiple international criminal laws as well as civil laws regarding trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and unfair competition. The location of the web pages displaying counterfeit Tiffany goods offered for sale by the websitewww.tiffanya.com are listed below.

The use of Digg.com’s online services by www.tiffanya.com also violates your company’s Terms of Use, which states:

5. USER CONDUCT:…By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree not to use the Services:
…

2. to post or transmit, or cause to be posted or transmitted, any Content that is infringing, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive, offensive, profane, or otherwise violates any law or right of any third party;

Accordingly, Tiffany requests your company cease providing online marketplace services to user of the site that is accessed through the URLhttp://digg.com/arts_culture/Jewelry_From_the_bones_of_women_Extravagance_Oomph/who.

Tiffany has a good-faith belief that the above-identified website’s use of the Tiffany name and marks is not authorized by Tiffany, its agents, or the law.

This request is made without waiver of any of Tiffany’s rights or remedies, all of which are expressly reserved.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct and that I am authorized to act on behalf of Tiffany.

Very truly yours,

STEPHEN M. GAFFIGAN, P.A.

By: ___s/ [private]___

[private]

[private]

Stephen M. Gaffigan, P.A.

[private]

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33301

Attorney for Tiffany (NJ), LLC.

[private] – Phone

[private] – Facsimile

The counterfeit Tiffany goods offered for sale by the website www.tiffanya.com can be found at:

http://www.tiffanya.com/

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-packing-c-72.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-necklaces-c-65.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-necklaces-c-65.html?page=2&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-necklaces-c-65.html?page=3&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-pendants-c-66.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-pendants-c-66.html?page=2&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-pendants-c-66.html?page=3&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-pendants-c-66.html?page=4&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-pendants-c-66.html?page=5&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-pendants-c-66.html?page=6&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-pendants-c-66.html?page=7&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-pendants-c-66.html?page=8&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-bracelets-c-67.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-bracelets-c-67.html?page=2&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-bracelets-c-67.html?page=3&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-bracelets-c-67.html?page=4&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-bracelets-c-67.html?page=5&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-earrings-c-68.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-earrings-c-68.html?page=2&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-earrings-c-68.html?page=3&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-earrings-c-68.html?page=4&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-rings-c-69.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-rings-c-69.html?page=2&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-accessories-c-70.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-sets-c-71.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/tiffany-sets-c-71.html?page=2&sort=20a

http://www.tiffanya.com/specials.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/specials.html?page=2

http://www.tiffanya.com/specials.html?page=3

http://www.tiffanya.com/specials.html?page=4

http://www.tiffanya.com/specials.html?page=5

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=2&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=3&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=4&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=5&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=6&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=7&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=8&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=9&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=10&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=11&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=12&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=13&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=14&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=15&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=16&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=17&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=18&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=19&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=20&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=21&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=22&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_new.html?page=23&disp_order=6

http://www.tiffanya.com/featured_products.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=2&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=3&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=4&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=5&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=6&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=7&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=8&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=9&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=10&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=11&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=12&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=13&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=14&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=15&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=16&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=17&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=18&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=19&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=20&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=21&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=22&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/products_all.html?page=23&disp_order=1

http://www.tiffanya.com/page.html?id=8

http://www.tiffanya.com/index.php?main_page=create_account

http://www.tiffanya.com/page.html?id=15

http://www.tiffanya.com/shippinginfo.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/privacy.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/conditions.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/contact_us.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/site_map.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/gv_faq.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/discount_coupon.html

http://www.tiffanya.com/index.php?main_page=unsubscribe

Last Modified: December 22nd, 2009