Systems and methods for takedown of counterfeit websites

1. A system comprising:

one or more computing devices configured to facilitate:

receiving, at a browser extension operating in a browser application, a uniform resource locator (URL) requested within the browser application;

determining whether the received URL is a counterfeit URL using a counterfeit URL detection system communicatively coupled with the browser application through a telecommunications network;

upon determining that the received URL is a counterfeit URL, fetching a domain name and IP address associated with the counterfeit URL;

automatically initiating a takedown request to take down the counterfeit URL, including:

querying a data store to determine whether an API-based takedown is able to be effected for the counterfeit URL;

if the API-based takedown is able to be effected for the counterfeit URL, the takedown request comprises an API-based takedown request; and

if the API-based takedown is not able to be effected for the counterfeit URL, fetching, from a data store, an abuse contact email address associated with the IP address, wherein the takedown request comprises a takedown notification email sent to the abuse contact email address;

automatically executing periodic checks to determine whether the counterfeit URL is still live; and

one of:

upon determining that the counterfeit URL is still live, automatically initiating an additional takedown request to take down the counterfeit URL; and

upon determining that the counterfeit URL is not live, recording a timestamp and associating it with the counterfeit URL in a data store, the timestamp indicating a time by which the counterfeit URL was taken down.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to facilitate recording of a timestamp for the takedown request.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the API-based takedown request is effected through one of a registrar, a registry, and a network owner of the counterfeit URL.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the additional takedown request is one of an additional API-based takedown request and an additional takedown notification email to effect takedown of the counterfeit URL.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a browser extension that comprises computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed by a processor causing the processor to:

receive a uniform resource locator (URL);

obtain information indicating that the received URL is a counterfeit URL;

initiate fetching of a domain name and IP address associated with the counterfeit URL;

initiate a takedown request by one of an API-based takedown request and a takedown notification email to effect a takedown of the counterfeit URL, including:

querying a data store to determine whether an API-based takedown is able to be effected for the counterfeit URL;

if the API-based takedown is able to be effected for the counterfeit URL, sending the API-based takedown request to initiate takedown of the counterfeit URL; and

if the API-based takedown is not able to be effected for the counterfeit URL, fetching, from a data store, an abuse contact email address associated with the IP address and initiating sending of the takedown notification email;

initiate execution of periodic checks to determine whether the counterfeit URL is still live; and

one of:

upon determining that the counterfeit URL is still live, initiate sending of an additional takedown request by one of an additional API-based takedown request and an additional takedown notification email to effect takedown of the counterfeit URL; and

upon determining that the counterfeit URL is not live, record a timestamp and associate it with the counterfeit URL in a data store, the timestamp indicating a time by which the counterfeit URL was taken down.

6. The storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the computer program instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to record a timestamp for the takedown request.

7. The storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the takedown request is sent to one of a registrar, a registry, and a network owner of the counterfeit URL.

8. The storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the computer program instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to extract content from a webpage associated with the counterfeit URL and include the content in the takedown request.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, at a browser extension operating in a browser application, a uniform resource locator (URL) requested within the browser application;

determining whether the received URL is a counterfeit URL using a counterfeit URL detection system communicatively coupled with the browser application through a telecommunications network;

upon determining that the received URL is a counterfeit URL, fetching a domain name and IP address associated with the counterfeit URL;

querying a data store to determine whether an API-based takedown is able to be effected for the counterfeit URL;

if the API-based takedown is able to be effected for the counterfeit URL, sending a takedown request comprising an API request;

if the API-based takedown is not able to be effected for the counterfeit URL, fetching, from a data store, an abuse contact email address associated with the IP address and sending a takedown request comprising a takedown notification email;

automatically executing periodic checks to determine whether the counterfeit URL is still live; and;

one of:

upon determining through one of the periodic checks that the counterfeit URL is still live, sending an additional takedown request by one of an additional API-based takedown request and an additional takedown notification email to effect takedown of the counterfeit URL; and

upon determining through one of the periodic checks that the counterfeit URL is not live, recording a timestamp and associating it with the counterfeit URL in a data store, the timestamp indicating a time by which the counterfeit URL was taken down.