Microsoft targets cybersquatters

Software giant Microsoft has accused a Florida firm of cybersquatting and launched a lawsuit against it.

It claims Domain Investments owns 23 web addresses which contain deliberate misspellings of Microsoft trademarks, or simply infringe on trademarks.

The listed addresses include Microsoft-games.com and hotmajl.com.

In its accusation of cybersquatting, the international firm states: "Defendants' registration and use of the infringing domain names is to primarily capitalise on the goodwill associated with Microsoft Marks."

The company has asked to be given the defendants' profits and damages, or as much as $100,000 (£64,600) for each of the domain names.

It also requests the company be prevented from infringing on trademarks in the future.

Earlier this year, a number of individuals attempted to register different websites under the names a merged Lloyds TSB and HBOS might employ.

When Lloyds TSB revealed it was planning a rescue attempt, many domain names were registered, under a variety of top level domains.