BlackRock (NYSE: BLK) has filed an in rem cybersquatting lawsuit targeting 49 domain names it claims infringe on its trademarks.

The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, a common venue for domain disputes because it is home to the .com registry Verisign and the .org registry Public Interest Registry.

Allegations in the Lawsuit

According to the complaint, the disputed domains are being used in a variety of harmful ways:

• Some are allegedly involved in scam activity

• Others are listed for sale

• At least one domain redirects to a cryptocurrency trading page that uses the BlackRock name to suggest legitimacy

Examples of domains named in the lawsuit include:

• BlaccRock.com

• BitcoinBlackRock.com

• BlackR0ck.com (using a zero instead of the letter “o”)

BlackRock argues that these registrations are designed to confuse users, exploit its brand reputation, and potentially facilitate fraud.

A Familiar Strategy

This is not the first time BlackRock has taken this approach. The company used a similar in rem lawsuit last year to recover other domains it said were abusing its trademarks.

BlackRock is being represented in the case by Wiley Rein LLP.