FTC
Alert: What's Dot and What's Not: Domain Name Registration Scams
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS
WIRE)-- What's in a name? Plenty, if you want to register a
website. A new scam is targeting would-be website owners by
offering the opportunity to pre-register new top level domain
names. Domain names, such as "ftc.gov," are the unique
terms that enable Internet users to locate a specific website.
The top level domain is the final extension, such as
".com" or ".org."
According
to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer
protection agency, scam artists are taking advantage of the news
that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
may make new top level domains available to the public.
The
FTC says consumers are getting fax and email solicitations that
offer a chance at a new top level domain name, for a fee, as
soon as it becomes available. Some unscrupulous registration
services are guaranteeing new top level domain names or
promising preferential treatment in the registration process.
But,
the agency cautions, these offers are premature. Because ICANN
has not yet announced its intentions, it is misleading for any
service or entrepreneur to offer pre-registration or accept fees
for domain names that may never come into existence.
In
addition, says the FTC, if ICANN decides to add top level domain
names to the current mix (e.g., .org, .com and .net), it is
likely to set rules about their availability and allocation to
ensure fair access by all.
The
FTC advises consumers to protect themselves by: 1) Avoiding any
domain name pre- registration service that asks for up-front
fees, guarantees particular top level domain names or
preferential treatment in the assignment of new top level domain
names. 2) Avoiding doing business with people who send
unsolicited faxes -- regardless of the offer.
Unsolicited
faxes are illegal. And, 3) Staying on top of the news about top
level domain names at the ICANN website, http://www.icann.org.
The
FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and
unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide
information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To
file a complaint, or to get free information on any of 150
consumer topics, call toll-free, 877/FTC-HELP (877/382-4357), or
use the complaint form at www.ftc.gov.
The
FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, and other fraud-related
complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database
available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement
agencies worldwide.
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