[LINK] False and Misleading?

[Chirgwin, Richard]

Mike - an new spin on an old scam. Report it to the Dept of Fair Trading,
ASIC, and the ACCC is my advice!

Richard

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Biber [mailto:mbiber@apnetworx.com.au]
Sent: Tuesday, 20 November 2001 14:26
To: Link List
Subject: [LINK] False and Misleading?


I'd be interested in Linkers opinion on this.

I have several Domain Names registered, most directly by myself and a
few by ISPs on my behalf.

In the last few weeks, I've been receiving snail mail from Internet
Registrations Australia (IRA) to sign up my domain names to a free
'businesses.com.au Internet Directory'. I get to tick a box on this
purple sheet to sign up, subject to the terms and conditions located at
http://www.registrations.com.au/directoryterms/. Clause 4, is as
follows:

"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"

So by agreeing to a listing in this 'free' Internet Directory, I sign
away my control of the reregistration of my domain names to IRA. I
believe that this is sufficiently unclear enough to declare this as
false and misleading. I suspect a fair % of people might sign up for the
'free' Internet Directory listing, without realising that they are also
signing up IRA to renew their Domain Names.

As a matter of interest, IRA will renew my 'free' listed domain name for
a fee of A$198 for 2 years. If I continue to do this myself through INA
(MelbourneIT), it costs A$137.50 for 2 years. So this 'free' directory
listing, actually comes at a premium of A$60.50!

Comments?

Mike Biber

Managing Director
Asia Pacific Networx Pty Limited
1b Cambridge Street (PO Box 347)
Enmore NSW 2042 Australia
Ph: +61 2 9519 0933  Fx: +61 2 9519 0933  Mb: 0412 058 808
Em: mbiber@apnetworx.com.au  W3: http://www.apnetworx.com.au