As most of you will be aware, auDA has issued 2 consumer alerts covering
practices like this. They are both available on our web site.

At the moment, re-sellers (of which Internet Name Protection is one) are
governed solely by their contract with Melbourne IT. The only body that can,
at present, do anything about these practices from a legal point of view is
the ACCC.  Whilst auDA is the delegate for .com.au, that delegation is,
until later this year subject to an agreement between the previous delegate
(Robert Elz) and Melbourne IT. Whilst auDA can, and has, put pressure on
Melbourne IT to do something, we cannot force them to do so. The same
applies to the ACCC.

Of course, all of this will change once auDA is the .au delegate and
implements the changes to the industry pursuant to the recommendations of
the Name Panel and Competition Panel. At that stage all registrars and
re-sellers will be required to abide by a Code of Conduct. That Code of
Conduct is one of the many matters auDA will complete in the run up to the
introduction of competition.

In the meantime, all we can do is to attempt to educate the public about
domain names and some of the practices that occur. I have suggested in the
past that one way the industry could assist is for domain name re-sellers to
email our consumer alerts to their customer database. Melbourne IT has done
this and I strongly suggest that other follow suit.

Regards

Chris Disspain
CEO - auDA
ceo§auda.org.au
+61-3-9226-9495
www.auda.org.au


-----Original Message-----
From: Wilkins, David [mailto:wilkind§anz.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 20 June 2001 11:40
To: 'dns§auda.org.au'
Subject: RE: [DNS] NEW Scam...deceptive faxes from Internet Name Protection

I know I have had this discussion with INA but surely as a business partner
of INA they can apply pressure for reasonable conduct.. This company
continues to set new lows..

Is it worthwhile for auDA to set a code of practice or some sort of
framework that doesn't encourage these business practices? It seems the
current vacuum is being interpreted as anything goes.

I do believe this is one of the cases where auDA could easily create value
with the framework and demonstrate a willingness to see professional conduct
in the administration of the .com.au domain before acquiring administration
of .au

David L. Wilkins

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Wenzler [mailto:paul§thedotcom.com.au]
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 11:22
To: dns§auda.org.au
Subject: [DNS] NEW Scam...deceptive faxes from Internet Name Protection


I have just recieved a phone call from a client who was most conserned that
his domain was not currently registered.

As it turned out, he revieved a fax from "Internet Name Protection" of Level
1, 222 St Kilda Road St. Kilda Vic 3182, stating that the domain
www.domainnamewithheld.com is unregistered!!! (exclamation marks theirs).

The fax states that they should secure the name immediately for 2 years §
$250 4years § $500 etc up to 10 years @$1000.

No where does it mention what the client currently owns
www.domainnamewitheld.com.au  and that www.domainnamewithheld.com is a
seperate issue.

I thing this is unfare scare tactics and a pricing structure which is
exorbatant to catch the unwary.

If anyone is interested in viewing the fax I can fax it to them.

Paul Wenzler
theDOTcom


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