Dear Reseller

Melbourne IT has been made aware that unsolicited notices are being sent from the email address noreply@melbourneit.com.au to registrants in which the entity sending the notices:

1. Claims to be Melbourne IT

2. Claims that the registrant's domain name will be deleted within 3 days and is urgently due for renewal; and

3. Asks the registrant to access the online facility and make payment to renew the domain name at, for example, http://www.melbourneit.com:cgi-bin@24.194.47.47:8080 (Note that the URL appears to be changing).

A sample of the notice is attached below.

The entity sending these notices has no association with Melbourne IT. The notices appear to be intended to mislead and deceive the registrants in order to obtain their credit card details.

Melbourne IT is pursuing this matter down a number of avenues to try to ensure that the online facility is rendered inoperable. Melbourne IT has also reported the matter to the relevant police authorities.

However, it is possible that some of your customers have received this notice and may be confused. We recommend that you contact your customers to warn them to ignore these notices as they are not from Melbourne IT, and to confirm that their domain names are safe.

Melbourne IT has put up a consumer alert located at http://www.melbourneit.com.au which we would be happy for you to refer to in warning your customers of this issue.

In addition, we would suggest that you continue to be alert to this practice as this is now the third example of its type which Melbourne IT has seen in the last few months. We would be grateful if you could notify us as soon as possible if you become aware of any similar issues which arise in future.

Please do not hesitate to contact reseller@melbourneit.com.au should you have any additional questions.

Regards

Andrew Field
Company Secretary
Melbourne IT Ltd

Example of Unauthorised Notice

To: xxxxx@xxxxxxx.com
From: "Melbourne IT" <NOREPLY@melbourneit.com
Date: Tue, 08 Apr 2003 15:58:39
Subject: Domain Expiration Notice (xxxxxxx.COM)


------------ DOMAIN EXPIRATION NOTICE ------------

Domain: xxxxxxx.COM

This domain is scheduled for deletion within 3 days. Please submit payment at the address below to ensure you experience no interruption of service.

<http://www.melbourneit.com:cgi-bin@24.194.47.47:8080/>

Melbourne IT is your domain registrar and payment for renewal must be made immediately to ensure continuity of service. You may have registered this domain through a partner or reseller of Melbourne IT. Failure to pay this invoice will result in your domain name registration being deleted.

It is vital that domain renewal fees are paid on time to avoid registrants losing domain ownership. We request you provide us with up-to-date contact information to be able to contact you when payment is due.

Sincerely,

Melbourne IT
The Trusted Registrar