Would it be possible to work more closely to the ACCC and the State's Fair
Trading equivilents to co-publish consumer (business) alerts?

It could be couched to government as assisting to reduce potential problems
and complaints for them.

Does auDA maintain a dialog with State's Fair Trading and Business
Development areas? I feel that many find Fair Trading and state-level
agencies more approachable and accessible the the ACCC.

Or would it be the case that these state-level areas don't (wish to)
maintain information about business-related Internet domain issues?

--
Galen Townson
galen§townson.net
+61 4133 88998


----- Original Message -----
From: "M.W Gacy" <mw_gacy2000&#167;yahoo.co.uk>
To: <dns&#167;lists.auda.org.au>
Sent: Friday, April 19, 2002 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: [DNS] Sneaky Domain Renewal Notices


>
> Other than the published alerts on their website which
> most Australian consumers wouldn't be aware of, do
> auDA have the means to directly alert consumers with
> regards to deceptive marketing practices?
>
> Are they doing all they can to protect Australian
> consumers ?
>
> Perhaps someone from auDA could shed some light on
> this one for us ?
>
>
>  --- Rod Keys <rod&#167;ddns.com.au> wrote: > Business
> alert perhaps Ron?
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Ron Stark" <ronstark&#167;businesspark.com.au>
> > To: <dns&#167;lists.auda.org.au>
> > Sent: Friday, April 19, 2002 10:15 AM
> > Subject: RE: [DNS] Sneaky Domain Renewal Notices
> >
> >
> > > ... the fact is that auDA provides recourse of
> > *last* resort before going
> > to
> > > statutory authority.  Resellers and registrars
> > therefore have an
> > obligation
> > > to look after their clients in such matters.
> > >
> > > Of course auDA needs to publish alerts, but such
> > doesn't absolve resellers
> > > and registrars from their own responsibility.
> > >
> > > Which reminds me - was the previous consumer alert
> > that auDA published
> > also
> > > sent to registrants?  If only the former, then I
> > contend that it would
> > have
> > > failed to reach those most effected.  In my
> > experience, published alerts
> > > tend to reach only those readers with an interest
> > in IT - the majority of
> > > registrants are interested in business issues.
> > >
> > > Ron Stark
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Rod Keys [mailto:rod&#167;ddns.com.au]
> > > Sent: Friday, 19 April 2002 9:59 AM
> > > To: dns&#167;lists.auda.org.au
> > > Cc: Chris Disspain
> > > Subject: Re: [DNS] Sneaky Domain Renewal Notices
> > >
> > >
> > > The whole point is to have the admin contacts
> > correct so that auda could
> > > publish warnings to registrants.
> > > This shouldn't be for registrars or resellers to
> > use but for Auda to send
> > > out qualified mass alerts.
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Ron Stark" <ronstark&#167;businesspark.com.au>
> > > To: <dns&#167;lists.auda.org.au>
> > > Sent: Friday, April 19, 2002 9:50 AM
> > > Subject: RE: [DNS] Sneaky Domain Renewal Notices
> > >
> > >
> > > > This raises an important point - does the auDA
> > site have a prominent
> > > > "Complaints" button thereon, to which we can
> > publish links in any alerts
> > > we
> > > > want to send out?
> > > >
> > > > Ron Stark
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: AUSCITY [mailto:auscity&#167;auscity.com.au]
> > > > Sent: Friday, 19 April 2002 9:38 AM
> > > > To: dns&#167;lists.auda.org.au
> > > > Subject: [DNS] Sneaky Domain Renewal Notices
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I received the following email from our own
> > .com/.net/.org Registrar
> > based
> > > > in the US this morning.  Interesting reading
> > .........
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Warning! Be Careful with Sneaky Domain Renewal
> > Notices
> > > >
> > > > A number of customers have reported to directNIC
> > that their domains
> > > > disappeared from their directNIC account after
> > they responded to renewal
> > > > notices by snail mail. It turns out that they
> > actually transferred the
> > > > domain to another registrar who had sent them a
> > renewal notice by mail
> > and
> > > > urged them to renew the domain immediately.
> > Without knowing that these
> > > > notices were not from directNIC, these
> > unsuspecting users transferred
> > > their
> > > > domains away from directNIC, paid a much higher
> > price, lost their
> > virtual
> > > > domains, erased their email forwarding rules and
> > POP3 accounts, and
> > > > consequently took their websites offline.
> > > >
> > > > To see several of these deceptive expiration
> > notices, visit
> > > > http://notice.reference.directnic.com
> > > >
> > > > For the record, directNIC relies almost solely
> > on email to contact
> > > > customers and does not solicit business through
> > the U.S. mail. If you
> > > > receive notices in the mail regarding renewing
> > your directNIC-registered
> > > > domain names, be sure to read them carefully and
> > consult with directNIC
> > > > before you make any decisions.
> > > >
> > > > Several registrars are mining WHOIS data and
> > sending deceptive and
> > > > predatory expiration notices to owners of
> > domains that are not
> > registered
> > > > with them. They have one common purpose: To
> > steal domains from their
> > > > competitors without lowering their price or
> > improving their service and
> > > > products. A few that have participated in this
> > practice include Domain
> > > > Registry of America, Network Solutions and
> > Register.com, among others.
> > > >
> > > > We believe competition should be fair, legal,
> > and ethical. directNIC has
> > > > attracted many customers by constantly improving
> > its website and user
> > > > interface, adding new services, launching new
> > products, listening and
> > > > responding to customer feedback, and protecting
> > customers against
> > hackers
> > > > and unethical solicitors. In order to better
> > protect your domains and
> > our
> > > > business, we invite you to join our efforts. If
> > you have received the
> > > > mentioned paper-based renewal notices from other
> > registrars, please
> > report
> > > > this activity to ICANN, the governing body of
> > the domain registration
> > > > industry.
> > > >
> > > > The link to file a complaint is
> > > >
> >
> http://www.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi
> > > >
> > > > Sincerely,
> > > >
> > > > directNIC.com
> > > >
> > > > For Your Information:
> > > >
> > > > 1. Advisory Concerning Deceptive Notices from
> > "XChange Dispute
> > Resolution"
> > > > ICANN has received reports of domain-name
> > registrants receiving "Domain
> > > > Dispute Notification" mailings from an entity
> > identifying itself as
> > > > "Xchange Dispute Resolution." The mailings
> > falsely state that XChange is
> > > an
> > > > "ICANN authorized arbitrator" and that the
> > registrant must mail in a
> > > > "security deposit fee" to defend "ownership of
> > the domain name."
> > > >
> > > > The link to the article is
> > > >
> >
> http://www.icann.org/announcements/advisory-08apr02.htm
> > > >
> > > > 2. Violation to the Federal Mail Guidelines:
> > > >
> > > > The official USPS regulations for mail "that
> > reasonably could be
> > > considered
> > > > a bill, invoice, or statement of account due,
> > but is in fact a
> > > solicitation
> > > > for an order":
> > > >
> > > >  http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm/c031.htm
> > > >
> > > > The requirement is that the following phrase
> > must appear in at least
> > > thirty
> > > > point capital letters on the face of the notice:
> > "THIS IS NOT A BILL.
> > THIS
> > > > IS A SOLICITATION. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION
> > TO PAY THE AMOUNT STATED
> > > > ABOVE UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER."
> >
> === message truncated ===
>
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