Endsleigh or Ensleigh?
A major internet scam has conned a number of students into buying over-priced insurance packages.
A little-known company, Campus Insurance Services, used the web to deceive potential insurance customers into thinking that they were buying cover from Endsleigh. Recognising that potential customers often lose the 'd' and mis-type the web address as ensleigh.com, an insurance broker registered this name and proceeded to divert all hits to his own company's site.
A number of students then proceeded to buy insurance through the 'Cover 4 Students' site to which they were redirected, in the misapprehension that they were using the NUS-endorsed Endsleigh.
In a High Court verdict earlier this month, it was ruled that Campus had deliberately infringed the Endsleigh trademark. The company have now removed their websites. Daniel Schmeer, the owner of Campus, was not present at the court case, although he has insisted that he did not deliberately try to mislead anyone.
20th Feb 2003