For the benefit of those who missed it -- you can get most of the relevant information from these links: The Great Domain Name Scam? and That Aussie Crowd.

Even before I published those columns, ING threatened to sue me.

Of course, threatening to sue me for telling it like it is can be likened to waving a red rag at a bull -- so the stories got published anyway.

However, it seems that ING has decided to go ahead and sue one Josh Rowe who, like myself, published copies of letters sent out by ING in their attempts to rake up business.

Readers Say (updated hourly) Nothing Yet Have Your Say

According to a posting on the ICANWatch site, ING is claiming that the publication of these documents represents a breach of their copyright.

My goodness -- haven't' they heard of fair use? And just look at all those complaints and investigations ING have prompted!

It kind of makes you wonder whether they all wear white patent leather shoes, shirts unbuttoned to the waist and large gold "danglers" on thick gold chains eh?

The Gold Dangler Brigade
But wait, there's more!

I've been forwarded a copy of an email which appears to come from Australian company NetRegistry.com.au.

The email warns of a crowd calling themselves "Internet Registrations Australia" who, it alleges, are conducting a very deceptive campaign designed to swipe customers from other registrars.

It says, in part:

"The new rules for Domain Name Companies specifically require that to change billing contact, the Domain Name Company requires the customer to sign a form 'authorising a change in domain name management'

The letter from Internet Registrations Australia invites you to get your site listed in a new business directory website at www.businesses.com.au. In accepting a free listing, you are unknowingly agreeing to the term 'I authorise the domain name management and submission of details to the business.com.au directory'

Once signed, you are opening yourself up to the irresponsible renewal practices of Internet Registrations Australia."

Now I have to make it clear that I haven't been able to check the veracity of this email or the claims it makes -- but it certainly suggests that the "gold dangler" brigade are alive and well in the Australian domain name business.

What is it about certain industries that attract this kind of person?

At one time, these people used to be content selling scruffy used-cars but moved on to selling cellphones when they were first launched. Then, when the PC became a hot item, many of the dangler-boys were seen hawking cheap PC clones. Of course when the Net took off, a great number of them instantly became "Internet consultants" and now (at least in Australia) they seem to be moving into the domain name game.

Pssst... Hey cobber, wanna buy BrooklynBridge.com?

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