Re: [registrars] .INFO Secondary Market Domain buyers BEWARE

["Robert F. Connelly" <rconnell@psi-japan.com>]

At 04:02 PM 8/18/01 +0530, Bhavin Turakhia wrote:
>A large number of Defrauders around the world have registered Sunrise domain
>names with fraudulent trademark information in the hope of making a quick
>buck. All of these speculators intend to make fast money by offloading these
>domain names to strategic buyers.

Dear Bhavin:

That's good thinking.  However, keep in mind the fact that Sunrise 
registrations may not be transferred for six months.  They will be held in 
registry-lock for that length of time.

>These speculators will probably succeed, however few are aware of the 
>implications this could have on those strategic buyers.
>
>A Strategic buyer is most likely to buy these domains for the purpose of
>setting up a portal or website for themselves. The purchase would result in
>transfer of the name from the current fraudulent registrant to the newer
>registrant. The name would in effect remain a sunrise name and hence would
>continue to carry the same trademark information. Assuming the strategic
>buyer then builds his website and invests considerable sums of money to
>promote his brand name.

That's an interesting scenario.  It *has* been agreed that the nameservers 
*can* be edited during the six month "lock_down", but other data cannot be 
changed.

>Any competitor of this buyer can then at anytime lodge a challenge process 
>against that name for a sum of $295 and have that domain name deleted 
>since it [the competitor] would not comply with the sunrise regulations.

It's great having many people thinking through the many ways this matter 
could turn.

>This could result in devastating effects on the buyer, and may ruin his
>entire business.

It may be said, let the buyer beware.  One should avoid dealing with a crook;-|

Personal regards, BobC