auDA warns consumers of mass mail out by DomainsAustralia Pty Ltd and DomainName.com.au Pty Ltd

Melbourne, 20th August 2006

auDA, Australia’s domain name authority has issued a warning to domain name owners to be wary of letters and/or faxes sent by DomainsAustralia Pty Ltd and DomainName.com.au Pty Ltd.

The letters are headed ‘.DOMAIN NAME AVAILABLE’ and some versions of it offer a free MP3 player with each registration. It offers to arrange registration of the net.au equivalent of registrants .com.au domain name for $225.

auDA has received numerous complaints which indicate that; 1. despite the net.au name being paid for, it is NOT being registered and 2. registrants are NOT receiving the .free. MP3 player.

Based on the complaints received auDA is concerned 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.

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.

DomainsAustralia Pty Ltd and DomainName.com.au Pty Ltd are companies controlled by Blair Rafferty, the brother of Chesley Rafferty. They are NOT an auDA accredited registrar nor are they 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.

If you have paid DomainsAustralia Pty Ltd or DomainName.com.au and the domain name has not been registered or you have not received the free. MP3 player 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/ or by faxing it to their Canberra office on (02) 6243 1199. Alternatively you may wish to contact your State based fair trading or consumer affairs office.