First USA Bank harassess website over trademark

[Todd Larsen <tlarson@essential.org>]

I am working on a report regarding the ways in which consumers are
overcharged and fraudulently charged by corporations.  There are many
websites on the internet that criticize coporations that rip-off
consumers.  These websites always use the corporation's name, or a
variant of its name, in their titles/domain name.

Recently, the creator of the "First USA Sucks" website received a
threatening piece of mail from attorneys for First USA Bank.  The letter
demands that Walla Walla college remove the First USA Sucks site from
their server.  The attorneys for First USA claim that the use of the
First USA name and the words, "Welcome to First USA's -- We are here to
rip you off," violates section 43 of the federal Lanham Trademark Act,
11 U.S.C. § 1125, as well as the unfair competition statutes and laws of
many states.

The creator of the First USA site is looking for assistance in this
matter.  His name is Jack Wollens and his e-mail address is
<wollja@wwc.edu>.  If anyone has information that could help him with
this issue, I am sure he would appreciate the information.  In addition,
please post any info. to this discussion group.  There are several other
people who run websites critical of banks, including Chevy Chase Sucks
adn Wells Fargo Sucks, who are concerned about this issue.