Last week I decided to set myself up as a domain name reseller. Having learnt quite a bit about common domain name scams of late, and seen how easy they are to perpetrate with no comeback should I be caught, I thought "hell, why not?". It's easy money, and no one is going to stop me.
So I paid my £400 to Nominet, which made precisely zero checks to establish my legitimacy and honesty, and figured I would start to develop my empire by calling Network News readers. Once I have exhausted that plentiful supply - many of whom I have hope will unceremoniously tell me to shove my offer where the sun doesn't shine - I will move on to the reader lists of our sister publications.
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It is so easy to set yourself up as a domain name reseller that every reader could do the same. That would really throw the industry into confusion, and perhaps, as it ground to a halt, those in charge of domain names in the UK will see what an almighty cock-up they have made of it.
We have spoken to respectable domain name companies recently that are tearing their hair out because of the reputation the industry has gained as a grubby bunch of sleazy money-grabbing worms. However, none criticise Nominet, because they are nice people. But without teeth, there is little they can do.
Nominet acts like an old English gentleman while a sea full of sharks circle around their victims before picking them off at will. It may not be cricket, old boy, but it's a business that has proliferated, and Nominet does little to stop it. So what punishment does it dish out to those that lie and cheat? Well, provided other members vote for it, Nominet will expel them. I do apologise for any speling mistakes at this point, but I can't see my monitor for laughing right now!
Nominet says it has no authority. Well, lobby and get some. Shame does not work with faceless scammers, and expulsion does not bar companies from selling domain names. It begs the question of why waste £400?
If you have a grievance, then you could always complain. However, it seems that this cottage industry is sewn up so tight there is no authority to complain to - at least, not one that has the balls to tackle and get rid of these con artists.
Meanwhile, the people you would expect to act - for instance Nominet or trading standards - simply turn their backs and hope that when they look again, the problem will have gone away.
Well it won't. The time has come to stop offering limp excuses. If Nominet is unhappy with its role, then it should push harder for change. Proper measures need to be put in place to stop these scammers, and ensure that they don't just set up again under a different name. A few years ago we saw many people registering household names and charging a premium to sell them back to the company concerned. As soon as a few organisations stood up to the scammers, others hoping to make a quick profit headed for the hills, with no stomach for a legal battle.
In business life there is always someone willing to exploit a loophole. The trick is, to close it.
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