auDA Consumer Alert 03/03/2005
Mass mail out by Domains Australia Pty Ltd

auDA has become aware that Domains Australia Pty Ltd is sending letters and/or faxes to some domain name registrants offering to arrange registration of a .com domain name for $225.

The letter is headed ‘DOMAIN NAME AVAILABLE’. auDA has received numerous complaints which indicate that some of the names being offered are either;

1. registered already to the recipient of the letter and not due to expire in the near future or

2. registered to a different entity and not available for registration.

auDA is concerned that the letters may

a) mislead people into believing that their .com domain name has expired when it has not; or

b) mislead people into believing that a .com name is available for registration when it is not; and

c) in either case induce people to pay money to Domains Australia for a service that the company is unable to deliver.

Domains Australiais a company controlled by Chesley Rafferty, who is also a Director of Domain Names Australia Pty Ltd.

auDA has successfully taken legal action against Mr Rafferty and Domain Names Australia under the Trade Practices Act. For more information see http://www.auda.org.au/news/dna.

If you have received a .com letter from Domains Australia and you wish to lodge a formal complaint, auDA advises that you immediately contact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) either by lodging an electronic complaint at http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/3634 or by faxing it to their Canberra office on (02) 6243 1199.

Last Updated: 03/03/2005 15:44