[nc-whois] [fwd] [ga] [Fwd: A WARNING TO OUR CUSTOMERS] (from: sotiris@hermesnetwork.com)

[Thomas Roessler <roessler@does-not-exist.org>]

Sounds like some interesting use of whois data, doesn't it?

----- Forwarded message from Sotiris Sotiropoulos <sotiris@hermesnetwork.com> -----

From: Sotiris Sotiropoulos <sotiris@hermesnetwork.com>
To: ga <ga@dnso.org>
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 20:31:11 -0500
Subject: [ga] [Fwd: A WARNING TO OUR CUSTOMERS]
Message-ID: <3C9BDADF.2D263F8B@hermesnetwork.com>
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.79 [en]C-SYMPA  (Win98; U)
Sender: owner-ga@dnso.org

I wonder if Chuck Gomes or someone else from Verisign
could comment on the following...
From: service@godaddy.com
To: sotiris@hermesnetwork.com
Date: 23 Mar 2002 01:20:15 -0000
Subject: A WARNING TO OUR CUSTOMERS
Message-ID: <20020323012015.11664.qmail@contest.godaddy.com>

Please be aware that Verisign, Inc. (formerly Network Solutions) is sending via the US Mail, what we believe to be deceptive and predatory domain expiration notices.  

The purpose behind these notices is to get the unsuspecting customer to transfer to and renew their domain name(s) with Verisign Inc. at significantly higher prices.

The domain expiration notices are designed so that it is not obvious that the notices are from Verisign, Inc. as opposed to Go Daddy Software. To see a copy of one of these deceptive expiration notices, please go to the following URL: http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/private_vsrn.asp?display=letter.

Those customers who fall prey to the Verisign, Inc. scheme will have their domain name(s) renewed at a price more than 3 times higher than would be the case if they renewed with Go Daddy Software. 

For a .com, .net or .org domain name renewal, the victimized customer would pay $29.00 to Verisign, Inc. instead of the $8.95 charged by Go Daddy Software.  

Those customers who fall prey to this scheme, will not receive any better service or value.  They will however be tricked out of $20.05 per domain name.

Renewal notices from Go Daddy Software are sent via email, and always mention the Go Daddy name.  You can be sure that any communications you receive concerning your domain name that do not explicitly and obviously display the Go Daddy name are not from Go Daddy Software.

If you believe, as we do, that this practice of Verisign Inc. is misleading, predatory and improper, we invite you to make your feelings known by writing to ICANN (who is the governing body for all Registrar’s and Registries) and to Verisign Registry.  Email links for both are provided below.

Sincerely,

Bob Parsons, President
Go Daddy Software, Inc.

ICANN Registrar Complaint Form (hosted at InterNIC)
http://www.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi

VeriSign Registry Customer Service
info@verisign-grs.com
Phone: 703-948-3200


----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
Thomas Roessler                      <roessler@does-not-exist.org>