Australian Domain Name Registrar Warns Of Scam

by Mary Swire, for LawAndTax-News.com, Hong Kong

21 August 2006

The Australian Domain Name Administrator (auDA) warned last week that it has become aware of a scam involving fraudulent offers to register domain names.

According to auDA, Domains Australia Pty Ltd has sent letters and/or faxes to some domain name registrants offering to arrange registration of the net.au equivalent of the registrant's com.au domain name for $225.

The letter is headed ‘DOMAIN NAME AVAILABLE’ and some versions of it offer a free MP3 player with each registration. However, auDA has received numerous complaints which indicate that despite the net.au name being paid for, it is not being registered and that registrants are not receiving the ‘free’ MP3 player.

Based on the complaints received, the registrar expressed concern that the letters may mislead people into believing that they are renewing their existing com.au domain name when in fact they are purchasing a new net.au name.

In a statement, it announced that:

"Further, consumers should be aware that $225 for a net.au domain name is significantly higher than prices charged by auDA accredited registrars and their resellers."

"Domains Australia Pty Ltd is a company controlled by Blair Rafferty, the brother of Chesley Rafferty. It is NOT an auDA accredited registrar nor is it a reseller of an auDA accredited registrar."

auDA has previously successfully taken legal action against Chesley Rafferty and companies controlled by him under the Trade Practices Act.

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