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Intellectual Property Law

: Trademark Blog

That's Who That Is? SwipeBids v QuiBids - Fake Blogs, Fake Reviews and Melissa Theuriau

By Marty Schwimmer

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melissa theuriau.JPG

SwipeBids and QuiBids are 'pay per bid' auction sites. They will promote prior sales of popular consumer electronics and other items for very low prices. For example, on SwipeBids right now, it indicates that it sold an Apple MacBook Pro for $387, and a $20 Amazon Gift Card for $2. How do they do it? Bidders pay a membership fee, and then pay some small amount (say .50) to bid. The economics are similar to those of a lottery - the bidder buys a cheap ticket, the house's revenues of the bids tends to exceed the value of the item (especially since people likely place multiple bids on an item).

SwipeBids alleges that QuiBids stole copyrighted content, fabricated news stories, fabricated customer testimonials and wrongfully misappropriated the image of French news anchor Melissa Theuriau. This is the second SDNY case this summer containing allegations of 'fake reviews' as false advertising.

And If you know Melissa Theuriau, please tell her that her image may have been wrongfully used.

Complaint Swipebids Quibids Copyright False Advertising

Full post as published by Trademark Blog on July 28, 2010 (boomark / email).