Comments on: First Case of Large Scale Abuse at Google Maps? http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/ Developing Knowledge about Local Search Sun, 20 May 2012 21:09:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Chris http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-412045 Chris Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:46:39 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-412045 This kind of thing is a shame. In the Boca Raton area, there are tons of computer repair shops... it is hard enough already to get listed in the local search without this kind of spamming. Luckily so far there has not been a problem in my area and lets hope it stays that way. This kind of thing is a shame. In the Boca Raton area, there are tons of computer repair shops… it is hard enough already to get listed in the local search without this kind of spamming. Luckily so far there has not been a problem in my area and lets hope it stays that way.

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-396662 Mike Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:58:05 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-396662 Here is the URL: http://maps.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=maps_spam Here is the URL: http://maps.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=maps_spam

]]> By: newbie http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-396463 newbie Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:13:48 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-396463 Google map sapm and business listing spam is a problem and is going to reduce the quality of the service if it gets over spammed is there anyway to report google map spam anonymously Google map sapm and business listing spam is a problem and is going to reduce the quality of the service if it gets over spammed

is there anyway to report google map spam anonymously

]]> By: Geeks-In-Route http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-323813 Geeks-In-Route Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:22:59 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-323813 In response to RentAGeek-Portland I being the owner of the domain RentAGeekInc.com did try to trademark the name, as you pointed out. I also was in negotiations to purchase the federal trademark from the previous owner before the Canadian based Rent A Geek purchased it. Once we found out that they had purchased it, we did the proper thing to do, and changed our name to Geeks-In-Route. I also went on to once again do the proper thing, and legally trademark our new name, and have since continued our nationwide expansion. On the other hand, you continue to use the name, which really makes you the trademark infringer. According to our attorneys, if the owners of the Rent A Geek trademark decide to sue all of you guys that continue to use the name for trademark infringement, you will most likely loose in court, and when you do, it carries a pretty heavy penalty. Don't come on here bashing us for doing the right and legal thing. Maybe you should take a look in the mirror. There an old saying that goes something like "People who live in glass houses shouldn't through stones". In response to RentAGeek-Portland

I being the owner of the domain RentAGeekInc.com did try to trademark the name, as you pointed out. I also was in negotiations to purchase the federal trademark from the previous owner before the Canadian based Rent A Geek purchased it. Once we found out that they had purchased it, we did the proper thing to do, and changed our name to Geeks-In-Route. I also went on to once again do the proper thing, and legally trademark our new name, and have since continued our nationwide expansion.

On the other hand, you continue to use the name, which really makes you the trademark infringer. According to our attorneys, if the owners of the Rent A Geek trademark decide to sue all of you guys that continue to use the name for trademark infringement, you will most likely loose in court, and when you do, it carries a pretty heavy penalty.

Don’t come on here bashing us for doing the right and legal thing. Maybe you should take a look in the mirror. There an old saying that goes something like “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t through stones”.

]]> By: RentAGeek-Portland http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-323663 RentAGeek-Portland Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:24:15 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-323663 I may be a bit late to the punch here, but "rentageekinc.com" is, on top of everything else, a mass trademark infringer. Back in 2001, I started up a business named "Rent-A-Geek" in Portland, Oregon. When I started my business, I did a trademark search, and found three other "Rent A Geek"s around the US. I also found that the name had been ATTEMPTED to be trademarked twice; both were struck down by the USPTO as "too generic" to trademark. So I didn't bother. Local laws protect me in Portland, and I wasn't worried about expanding beyond Oregon. Come six years later, and not only did rentageekinc.com try to claim that they were nationwide, but a second nationwide business decided to 'name spam' by listing in the White Pages under seven different names, some of which infringed on local company names. Neither one is my company. (Or any of the other, almost all very small locally owned "Rent A Geek"s around the country.) A recent turn is that someone finally got the USPTO to grant a trademark on the name, and sold their trademark to a British Columbia, Canada-based "Rent-A-Geek". By U.S. trademark law, any company that existed before the granting of the trademark has "grandfathered in" rights to the use of the name in their local territory; but now the Canadian company (no relation to the rentageekinc.com mentioned here,) has "nationwide" rights. I may be a bit late to the punch here, but “rentageekinc.com” is, on top of everything else, a mass trademark infringer.

Back in 2001, I started up a business named “Rent-A-Geek” in Portland, Oregon. When I started my business, I did a trademark search, and found three other “Rent A Geek”s around the US. I also found that the name had been ATTEMPTED to be trademarked twice; both were struck down by the USPTO as “too generic” to trademark. So I didn’t bother. Local laws protect me in Portland, and I wasn’t worried about expanding beyond Oregon.

Come six years later, and not only did rentageekinc.com try to claim that they were nationwide, but a second nationwide business decided to ‘name spam’ by listing in the White Pages under seven different names, some of which infringed on local company names. Neither one is my company. (Or any of the other, almost all very small locally owned “Rent A Geek”s around the country.)

A recent turn is that someone finally got the USPTO to grant a trademark on the name, and sold their trademark to a British Columbia, Canada-based “Rent-A-Geek”. By U.S. trademark law, any company that existed before the granting of the trademark has “grandfathered in” rights to the use of the name in their local territory; but now the Canadian company (no relation to the rentageekinc.com mentioned here,) has “nationwide” rights.

]]> By: Top 10 Online Marketing Tips for Chiropractors | Chiropractor2Web http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-303992 Top 10 Online Marketing Tips for Chiropractors | Chiropractor2Web Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:21:39 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-303992 [...] claim your Google Local Profile! Local search expert Mike Blumenthal has written about the “map spam” issue, which primarily affects unclaimed Google Local [...] [...] claim your Google Local Profile! Local search expert Mike Blumenthal has written about the “map spam” issue, which primarily affects unclaimed Google Local [...]

]]> By: Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Google Mapspam: Time for a formal solution | Developing Knowledge about Local Search http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-255279 Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Google Mapspam: Time for a formal solution | Developing Knowledge about Local Search Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:24:01 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-255279 [...] has handled Mapspam reporting in an ad hoc fashion since it was first identified as a problem in Maps almost a year ago. Despite Google’s recent efforts at tightening up the LBC [...] [...] has handled Mapspam reporting in an ad hoc fashion since it was first identified as a problem in Maps almost a year ago. Despite Google’s recent efforts at tightening up the LBC [...]

]]> By: Mike Blumenthal http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-228304 Mike Blumenthal Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:48:13 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-228304 Hi Austin Thanks for your input on how this came about. I am also curious if you discovered the tactic on your own or whether you were working with an SEO company? Hi Austin

Thanks for your input on how this came about. I am also curious if you discovered the tactic on your own or whether you were working with an SEO company?

]]> By: Austin http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-228203 Austin Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:11:27 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-228203 Since there is so much speculation as to why I did what I did with Google, I'll tell you all. We provide computer repair and IT services in every city in the US, and we have technicians they live in just about every city in the US. Obviously, our techs do not want their home addresses posted on the internet, and so we used a generic address. We did not realize that we could not do that at the time, and once they were submitted it was too late. When we found out that we were not supposed to do it, then we stopped. Unfortunately, it's not so easy to go in and delete 99,000 postings, and it seems that when you do, they never get taken off. One poster asked the question previously "Did it work"? Absolutely! Unfortunately, it only lasted about two weeks, and then Google started taking them down. There are still a few of them out there, but I think they got most of them off. Well that's the skinny on that. We weren't trying to be deceitfull, we were just trying to get our name out there. I guess it kind of worked. I hope those of you out there that are making us out to be the EVIL GOOGLE SPAMMERS, will give it a rest now. Since there is so much speculation as to why I did what I did with Google, I’ll tell you all. We provide computer repair and IT services in every city in the US, and we have technicians they live in just about every city in the US. Obviously, our techs do not want their home addresses posted on the internet, and so we used a generic address. We did not realize that we could not do that at the time, and once they were submitted it was too late. When we found out that we were not supposed to do it, then we stopped.

Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to go in and delete 99,000 postings, and it seems that when you do, they never get taken off.

One poster asked the question previously “Did it work”? Absolutely! Unfortunately, it only lasted about two weeks, and then Google started taking them down. There are still a few of them out there, but I think they got most of them off.

Well that’s the skinny on that. We weren’t trying to be deceitfull, we were just trying to get our name out there. I guess it kind of worked. I hope those of you out there that are making us out to be the EVIL GOOGLE SPAMMERS, will give it a rest now.

]]> By: Mike Blumenthal http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-207398 Mike Blumenthal Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:03:48 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/07/27/first-case-of-large-scale-abuse-at-google-maps/#comment-207398 Hi Hank Sorry for the delay getting this posting up. I usually don't reopen conversations on a post after 30 days unless the post has received additional exposure. In local using City + Service has become a standard way to name entries....it certainly sows confusion in the public as one entry looks much like the next. I find that in local markets it makes sense to maintain branding for the most part in your business title. As Maps in many business categories appeals to a local readership. Mike Hi Hank

Sorry for the delay getting this posting up. I usually don’t reopen conversations on a post after 30 days unless the post has received additional exposure.

In local using City + Service has become a standard way to name entries….it certainly sows confusion in the public as one entry looks much like the next.

I find that in local markets it makes sense to maintain branding for the most part in your business title. As Maps in many business categories appeals to a local readership.

Mike

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