1) What should I do if my site was copied and placed on a similar domain? Why they do it?
 Competitors, domain merchants?

Unfortunately, such an occurrence is not uncommon. Competitors may copy your site in an attempt to steal your customers, or domain merchants may use your content to create fake sites. In both cases, this is an illegal action.

If your site has been copied, the first step should be to contact legal authorities. You can also file a complaint with the hosting provider where the fake site is located. It is important to act quickly and effectively to protect your rights and interests.

2) And what can you show them? Do you have a confirmed intellectual property right to the design? Or the layout code? Maybe you copied it from somewhere in the same way?
Or did you buy it on one exchange or from one developer who sells such a site to everyone for $ 3? Maybe your content has a confirmed ownership right? Yes, you can write in the basement that all the rights to the text belong to your site. And they will have it written that all rights to this text belong to their web site.
Will you be able to prove your rights to the site in any way at all?

What can you present as evidence to support your claim? Do you have a confirmed patent right to the design or layout code, or did you obtain it through copying? Alternatively, did you purchase it on an online marketplace or from a developer who sells such sites to anyone for $3? Does your website's content have a verified ownership right?

While you can add a statement in the footer of your website claiming ownership of your content, the infringing party may do the same, stating that the rights to the same content belong to their website. It is necessary to be able to prove ownership rights to your website in a verifiable way by obtaining licenses or copyrights. It is essential to take legal action to protect your intellectual property rights against infringement.

I have two similar cases in my memory, both around four years old.

The first case involved individuals who copied our website design, placed it on a hacked third-party server, and attached programs requiring payment via SMS for installation, which our legitimate programs did not require. We discovered this after receiving a complaint from a potential user who provided us with a link. We tracked down the contacts of the domain owner via whois, contacted them, and ultimately had the fake site taken down in a matter of hours.

In the second case, there were several small offices in a town that catered to local business clients through city advertising and local newspapers. One office wanted to attract more customers, so they created their own website, which was unique and useful. This led to positive feedback and competitors taking notice and creating their own websites as well. However, one competitor decided to cut costs by creating their website on narod.ru and using content from someone else's site but changing only the contact details. The content was removed within a day after the original content owner expressed dissatisfaction with the contact number from that site.

It is essential to protect your website by monitoring its use and taking action against those who infringe upon your intellectual property rights. In some cases, such infringement may be unintentional due to a lack of knowledge of ownership rights. However, violations of intellectual property rights can lead to legal disputes and must be addressed promptly.

If you are not interested in suing, consider writing a free-form letter to the infringer stating that their site is violating your exclusive rights and demanding that they stop the violation. You may also mention that you will seek legal counsel if they do not comply.

To find the contact information for the owner of the site, check the footer as it typically lists their details. If you are unable to find the owner's contact information, you can try reaching out to the online store associated with the website by email or social media platforms. Many websites even have chat functionalities which can be used to communicate with the owners.

Taking action against infringement requires persistence and attention to detail. It is important to take the necessary steps to protect and defend your intellectual property rights to avoid further violations.

Why do they do it? Well, there's a few reasons, and it's not always just your run-of-the-mill competitors tryin' to steal your thunder. Let me break it down for ya.

Cybersquatting: This is when someone registers a domain name that's similar to yours, often with the intention of sellin' it back to you for a tidy profit. They're like those vultures that follow the wagons on the Oregon Trail, waitin' for someone to kick the bucket so they can swoop in and make a quick buck. Not very sportsmanlike, if you ask me.

Typosquatting: This is when someone registers domains that are similar to yours but with a typo in 'em. For example, if your domain is "YourSite.com", they might register "YourSite.com" or "YorSite.com". The idea is that when someone accidentally types in the wrong domain, they'll end up on the copycat site instead of yours. It's like tryin' to trick a fella into walkin' into the wrong saloon.

Competitors: Now, I ain't sayin' all competitors are cutthroat scoundrels, but some of 'em might see your site and think, "Well, that's a mighty fine lookin' site. I think I'll make one just like it." They might not even realize they're steppin' on your toes, but that don't make it any less frustratin'.

Scammers: Some folks out there, they'll copy your site and use it to phish for personal information or spread malware. They'll set up a site that looks just like yours, but when someone enters their login details, bam! They've just been had. It's like walkin' into a dark alley and gettin' your wallet snatched.

Now, what should you do if you find yourself in this predicament? Well, first off, don't go off half-cocked. Take a deep breath and think it through. Here are a few steps you can take:

Contact the domain registrar: The first thing you should do is contact the domain registrar where the copycat site is hosted. Explain the situation to 'em and ask 'em to take down the site. If the domain was registered using false information, they might be able to help.

Send a cease and desist letter: If the registrar can't or won't help, you might want to consider sendin' a cease and desist letter. This is a fancy way of sayin', "Hey, you're steppin' on my toes, and I don't like it. Cut it out, or else." You can find templates for these online, but you might want to consult with a lawyer to make sure you're coverin' all your bases.

Report it to search engines: If the copycat site is showin' up in search engine results, you can report it to the search engine's webmaster tools. They might remove it from their results, which can help reduce the confusion.

Protect your brand: If you haven't already, consider trademarks and copyrights. These can help protect your site and its content from being copied. It's like postin' a "No Trespassin'" sign on your property.

Keep a watchful eye: Once you've dealt with one copycat, keep an eye out for more. They're like weeds, if you don't keep 'em in check, they'll pop up everywhere.

And there you have it, partner. I've given you the lowdown on why folks might copy your site and what you can do about it. Just remember, the internet's a big place, and there's always gonna be folks tryin' to take advantage of others.