In a recent article, I predicted that the flood of new top-level domain names would unleash a new flock of scam artists on a confused public. Unfortunately, this prediction has turned out to be correct.
FTC Publishes a
Consumer Alert
The scams are becoming so prevalent that the FTC has published a
consumer alert. It warns that scam artists are soliciting buyers for new
domains using a variety of scare tactics.
These unscrupulous companies are taking advantage of the confusion arising from the news that ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is going to make new top-level domain names available to the public.
The FTC warns that consumers are getting fax and email solicitations that offer a chance to get new top-level domain names. They suggest that you may miss out on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities if you fail to follow up on their offer. Some companies are promising "preferential treatment" in the registration process.
Preferential Treatment?
These companies promise to be more trick than treat. Here are some
suggestions that you can follow in order to avoid getting scammed:
- Avoid companies that asks for up-front fees in exchange for guaranteeing a domain name, or for preferential treatment in the assignment of new names.
- Avoid companies that send unsolicited faxes or emails. Unsolicited faxes are illegal.
- Follow the news about new domain names so that you can be an educated buyer. You can get information straight from the source by visiting ICANN's website.
Read more about the background of the new domain names for more information. A list of the new domain names is also available. You can find out more about the scams at the FTC's website.
Go To Page: 1
