FC: Verisign reportedly sending deceptive domain registration bills

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

---

Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 19:26:15 -0500
To: declan () well com
From: Peter Wayner <pcw () flyzone com>
Subject: Fwd: A WARNING TO OUR CUSTOMERS

[Another scandal mixing spam, the DNS tables and ICANN.--Peter]


> Date: 23 Mar 2002 00:07:10 -0000
> To: pcw () flyzone com
> From: service () godaddy com
> Subject: A WARNING TO OUR CUSTOMERS
>
> 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 Registrarís 
> 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




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