11- “Domain Name Poaching” or “Cybersquatting”
This item is not a safe bet and that’s why it’s only n°11 in our best unethical life hacks to make money. You could lose a lot, too.
I didn’t really know what this one was until I read about it on the Penny Hoarder (quite a name, you guys), so I’ll need to quote a little.
“Domain name poaching”, or “cybersquatting”, consists of registering names that either are already something -or will be- in order to sell it later to someone who actually wants it. If you buy or register a name generic enough to be un-trade-markable, (take for example “Oak Tree Apartments”) you can then resell it for way more cash.
However, “this practice is regulated in some ways. For example, you can’t register a trademarked name. And in any case, there is the question of ethics; as a poacher you essentially profit from the name and reputation of a person or company, rather than by anything you create. Many cases, though, fall into a legal gray area.”
“Another cybersquatting niche involves registering movie names before the studios get around to it.” This might, however, get some studio lawyers involved, in which case you better give the name back for whatever sum they’re offering. In reality, people don’t cybersquatt that much today because it has become more regulated over the years, so the legal stakes are high. So, what best unethical life hacks to make money we have on our list besides this one? Check it out!
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