Unauthorised ACN usage

[morganp]

Hi everyone,

This isn't really a support question as i stopped using NetFleet.com.au a year or so ago because their system is terrible + their customer service is basically non existent so i vouched to not support them and have told others not to do so either. TBH i don't know how they still exist. The only time i have been contacted by them/had a response from them is to try and get me to bid on domains via their system... Despite submitting multiple support tickets.

I have found a group/person who is using my ACN to register domains through their service. I have tried to contact support but "surprisingly" no response.

Has anyone else had this issue? If so what have you done to prevent it?

 

[neddy]

Hi everyone,

This isn't really a support question as i stopped using NetFleet.com.au a year or so ago because their system is terrible + their customer service is basically non existent so i vouched to not support them and have told others not to do so either. TBH i don't know how they still exist. The only time i have been contacted by them/had a response from them is to try and get me to bid on domains via their system... Despite submitting multiple support tickets.

I have found a group/person who is using my ACN to register domains through their service. I have tried to contact support but "surprisingly" no response.

Has anyone else had this issue? If so what have you done to prevent it?

Well that explains things to me Morgan! Because I keep daily records of who buys what on the Drops, I saw your name appearing a few times. I just thought to myself that you must have "kissed and made up" with NF.

If they don't answer your tickets, you should contact Bruce Tonkin from Melb IT (he's a Director of NetAlliance / Netfleet). He's a good guy, and will make sure some action is taken. PD's coming up!! (I'll also send him an email for you).

Erhan mentioned something similar recently - someone is purchasing domains on Netfleet using NAB's ACN.

 

[morganp]

Hi Neddy,

Thanks for the reply. Definitely haven't decided to use them again like i mentioned before im not sure how they still exist, they have the worst customer service i have experienced anywhere.

I will try and contact Bruce, is it possible to PM me his email address?

Example of one i saw this week (there is probably heaps more): http://screencast.com/t/WKeyXl3n0

All details except my ACN look fake.
Ill try and do a bit more research and see who the group using my details are, perhaps the same group using NAB's. I would also think other ACN/ABN's would be being used if mine are.

 

[neddy]

Hi Neddy,

Thanks for the reply. Definitely haven't decided to use them again like i mentioned before im not sure how they still exist, they have the worst customer service i have experienced anywhere.

I will try and contact Bruce, is it possible to PM me his email address?

Example of one i saw this week (there is probably heaps more): http://screencast.com/t/WKeyXl3n0

All details except my ACN look fake.
Ill try and do a bit more research and see who the group using my details are, perhaps the same group using NAB's. I would also think other ACN/ABN's would be being used if mine are.

I have emailed him for you Morgan, and given him the link to this thread. I'm sure he will sort it out.

 

[morganp]

Awesome thanks. Appreciate it

 

[neddy]

@morganp

I also just spoke with Jo Lim from auDA. She said that if you don't hear back from Netfleet, you can contact auDA directly, and they will sort it out for you. You just need to confirm that your company and ACN has been falsely used to acquire domain names.

 

[morganp]

@morganp

I also just spoke with Jo Lim from auDA. She said that if you don't hear back from Netfleet, you can contact auDA directly, and they will sort it out for you. You just need to confirm that your company and ACN has been falsely used to acquire domain names.

Thanks, ill try and get onto Netfleet first to prevent the issue as well. If previous experience with Netfleet's support is to go by though it might be quicker waiting for the domains to expire...

 

[johno69]

You could look at it like someone has gifted you some domain names.
Now you just need to use your powers to take control of said domain names.

 

[neddy]

I did some more digging on this, and discovered that the problem is more widespread than first thought. Other entities are also being used. It seems to be only happening on Netfleet, though in fairness to them I may be wrong (perhaps it is more noticeable with them given that they win 95% of drops). I don't think they are purposely doing anything untoward - it's just that their system is being taken advantage of.

auDA needs to step in here imho. This sort of thing affects the "integrity" of the .au namespace.

I've written an article about this today on Domainer.

 

[Horshack]

It's been happening for years Ned. I remember coming across a number of these in 2009/10/11 when an overseas seller registered a number of .com.au domain names using other people's ACN/ABN details and began selling in the small niche market I was focussing on at the time. My main competitor noticed the same thing and made contact with the one ACN owner in particular who subsequently made a complaint to the AUDA.

 

[neddy]

It's been happening for years Ned. I remember coming across a number of these in 2009/10/11 when an overseas seller registered a number of .com.au domain names using other people's ACN/ABN details and began selling in the small niche market I was focussing on at the time. My main competitor noticed the same thing and made contact with the one ACN owner in particular who subsequently made a complaint to the AUDA.

@Horshack - I agree it has happened in the past. However, with the drop auctions, it really seems like there is now a concerted effort (by non-eligible registrants) to pick up expiring domains. I have a list of over 25 domains in the past 6 weeks (and I'm sure there are more).

 

[ttfan]

You could look at it like someone has gifted you some domain names.
Now you just need to use your powers to take control of said domain names.

That's a really good point!
Would you just need to prove that the ACN is yours, to claim ownership or do you need more?

 

[DomainShield]

I have reached out to Mark directly via iMessage as he seems to be having SMS and mobile coverage problems at the moment. He has assured me that he will investigate this issue as a priority on Sunday when he returns from overseas. He also confirmed that they are actively and have actively been working to combat scams like this.

 

[DomainShield]

Would you just need to prove that the ACN is yours, to claim ownership or do you need more?

Most Registrar's would require you to send them a letter on your company letterhead warranting that you are the legal entity and you want the registrant contact details updated. This works best in a situation where you have had a .au domain name hijacked and then hidden using identity theft.

In a situation like this the domain was technically registered without the registrants explicit request to register it so it should be deleted but it is definitely a grey area.

If there are dozens of domains in this state now, this also raises another problem which is "what does one do about old owners who have paid the scammers to get their domain back" but have not done a Change of Registrant? How are they going to react if that domain gets deleted again and goes back into the drop list?

 

[findtim]

Most Registrar's would require you to send them a letter on your company letterhead warranting that you are the legal entity

this is true and it has always made me puzzled as how many totally internet people have a letterhead? and why is one going to make adifference? just wip one up in photoshop !
yes, the registra then has something to show to justify helping you but really i find it silly and when you say "send a letter" ( like the others do as well, do you mean go and print adnd put a stamp on an envelope and if you don't have a stamp line up to get one??? i got a stamp the other day and went $1 !!!!
i do send snail mail but not to just 1 person.
tim

 

[DomainShield]

this is true and it has always made me puzzled as how many totally internet people have a letterhead? and why is one going to make adifference? just wip one up in photoshop !

Tim, this is called fraud, it is illegal and can land you in jail. Just because it is possible or even easy does not make it right.

yes, the registra then has something to show to justify helping you but really i find it silly and when you say "send a letter" ( like the others do as well, do you mean go and print adnd put a stamp on an envelope and if you don't have a stamp line up to get one??? i got a stamp the other day and went $1 !!!!
i do send snail mail but not to just 1 person.
tim

Registrars are actually quite wary of making changes like this and have specific staff who investigate and action these requests. On occasion they will also request photo id or even refuse to make a change if they are suspicious. There is no hard and fast rule on how to process these requests so if you make a Registrar suspicious they can make you jump through all sorts of hoops (like sending a physical document).

NOTE: We are moving away from the original subject so perhaps this thread should be moved outside of the Netfleet section if the discussion is going to become more general in nature.

 

[findtim]

i agree its fraud, but as we have seen recently that doesn't seem to matter eg: NAB

tim

 

[DomainShield]

i agree its fraud, but as we have seen recently that doesn't seem to matter eg: NAB

tim

Just to be clear I was referring to your suggestion to "just wip[sic] one up in photoshop" as being fraud.

Also in an effort to remain on topic for anyone reading this, When Tim refers to NAB above he is talking about a similar blog post at www.domainer.com.au.

 

[findtim]

and
https://www.dntrade.com.au/threads/interesting-registrant.10650/
tim

 

[helloworld]

Just more proof that the ABN requirement is useless and needs to be dropped immediately. You guys have only noticed these because of netfleet but I can assure you these are happening daily for deleted domains.