[DNS] IRA Trickery getting sneakier?

[DNS] IRA Trickery getting sneakier?

From: Neale Banks <neale§lowendale.com.au>
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 13:35:17 +1100 (EST)
Greetings all,

It seems IRA are playing yet a different card now :-(

I've just received by snail-mail a solicitation from IRA headed:

		"New Internet Directory"

It goes on:

	"Internet Registrations Australia is now submitting domains
	registered to the new business.com.au Internet Directory for
	listing."

	"There is no charge for this service."

Sounds too good to be true?

FWIW, business.com.au appears to have been registered to "Internet
Business Centres" of Perth back in 1996 and the only contact is a Brian
Brushwood, also of Perth.

Back to the IRA document, it continues:

	"Listing comes with our domain management.  The categories you are
	listed under are dependent on your website.  Even if your website
	isn't operational, you should include your domain to see your
	business listed."

Er, "comes with our domain management"?????

The "Yes..." option includes "Terms and conditions of service can be found
at www.registrations.com.au/directoryterms"

After a few disclaimers (all care but no responsibility for the
"listing"), we have this gem:

   4. Submission for Listing on the businesses.com.au directory
   comes with Internet Registrations Australia's domain management
   services, this includes but is not limited to the renewal of
   registration of the domain name. By electing to have your domain
   managed by Internet Registrations Australia you authorise
   Internet Registrations Australia to manage the registration of
   the domain name in accordance with Internet Registrations
   Australia's terms and conditions of service as found below.

Is this looking like a thinly disguised ploy to get the domain signed over
for their "management"?

FWIW, anyone else remember those infamous Telex directories?

Curiously, this solicitation includes a "Yes..." option and a "No..."
option (with no hint of the default (no-response) choice) and finishes of
with a "please fax back imediately...".

Questions for the legally-minded/informed:

* Is this looking like sufficient grounds for a complaint to the ACCC?  
* If so, what's the best angle to take?

Thanks,
Neale.

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Received on Wed Nov 21 2001 - 02:29:27 UTC

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