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MarkMonitor®, the global leader in enterprise brand protection, today announced the availability of its Site Staydown Service, a new brand protection option designed to help brand owners shut down fraudulent websites and prevent counterfeit and pirated goods from reaching consumers. Leveraging the extensive experience and infrastructure developed by MarkMonitor in shutting down phishing and malware distribution sites, the MarkMonitor Site Staydown Service protects a company's brand from websites that pose a significant risk to company reputation, revenues and the bottom line.

Fraudulent websites are designed to divert online traffic from legitimate commerce and cause legitimate brands to lose revenue and customer trust. These sites are often well-trafficked and pose a significant risk to companies and to consumers by offering pirated or counterfeit goods. They may also erode the efficiency of search engine marketing efforts, causing lower ROI on marketing campaigns. MarkMonitor estimates that $133 billion in legitimate revenue was lost in 2009 due to the sale of counterfeit goods online

"Confronting the challenge of online counterfeiting is complex, in part because of the inherent ability of counterfeiters to avoid detection and the cross-border nature of the Internet, which reduces the ability of brand owners to engage law enforcement in policing this new frontier," said Deborah Greaves, Secretary and General Counsel for True Religion Brand Jeans. "An option like the Site Staydown Service from MarkMonitor provides an effective alternative for brand owners to shut down infringing sites quickly, protecting consumers and reducing the profit potential for fraudsters."

Research by interactive agency Razorfish highlights the importance of quickly taking down fraudulent sites that can confuse customers and provide a negative brand experience. The 2009 Digital Brand Experience study by Razorfish measured the influence of online brand experiences on consumer behavior. The study found that 63 percent of surveyed consumers said that a digital brand experience influenced their decision to buy or not buy a product from that brand*.

MarkMonitor builds upon the trust earned by its Security Operations Center (SOC) in taking down fraudulent sites by working with more than 4,200 ISPs and 1,200 registrars located around the globe. During the pilot of this new service, the Site Staydown Service was used by leading brands in the apparel, transportation and footwear categories to shut down more than 100 sites offering counterfeit or pirated goods, identified by the brand holder.

"While brands address the problem of counterfeit and pirated goods with time-consuming traditional enforcement methods, fraudsters continue to profit from illicit activities," said Frederick Felman, CMO of MarkMonitor. "The MarkMonitor Site Staydown Service provides brands with a cost-effective, fast and efficient alternative for taking action against fraudulent activity that erodes sales and dilutes marketing investments."

The MarkMonitor Site Staydown Service is available to customers of the MarkMonitor Brand Protection™ solution, with pricing based on the level of engagement. For more visit http://www.markmonitor.com.

About MarkMonitor

MarkMonitor, the global leader in enterprise brand protection, offers comprehensive solutions and services that safeguard brands, reputations and revenue from online risks. With end-to-end solutions that address the growing threats of online fraud, brand abuse and unauthorized channels, MarkMonitor enables a secure Internet for businesses and their customers. (Learn More)

Related topics: Cybercrime, Cybersquatting, Domain Names, Law, Security, Web