Re: Scam?

PART TWO

I just checked some random business names: coke.usa, pepsi.usa,
mcdonalds.usa, abc.usa, nbc.usa, usa.usa... all taken, all registered this
month (one just today, supposedly), and none by what would seem to be the
proper owners or representatives of these compaines. Now, as for reps, I can
only guess here, but it would seem to me unlikely that Coca Cola, Pepsi,
McDonalds, et al, would have individuals register these names, especially
since the .com versions of these names are registered by their respective
corporations... but then again, it is a first-come, first-served basis. The
site also claims the .usa TLD will be activated in 2002. I'd still be more
comfortable waiting, myself. I also find it suspicious that these were
registered very recently, all within the past week and a half, with none in
previous months... Fishy...

Some examples of registered names:

coke.usa
Ronald Lyons
Oct 21 2001 - Oct 21 2002

pepsi.usa
Mark Schoor
Oct 22 2001 - Oct 22 2002

mcdonalds.usa
Magnus Macdonald
Oct 14 2001 - Oct 14 2002

abc.usa
Ryan Hughes
Oct 13 2001 - Oct 13 2002

nbc.usa
Scott Pedersen
Oct 19 2001 - Oct 19 2002

usa.usa
Janice MacKay
Oct 13 2001 - Oct 13 2002

visa.usa
Bill Sisemore
Oct 17 2001 - Oct 17 2002

sony.usa
Hayee Bokhari
Oct 20 2001 - Oct 20 2002

gateway.usa
hiroshi kanemoto
Oct 13 2001 - Oct 13 2002

dell.usa
Drew Gilbert
Oct 13 2001 - Oct 13 2002

walmart.usa
Scott Pedersen
Oct 19 2001 - Oct 19 2002

Not all the names I checked were taken, but not one showed registration by a
company, only by a person. This could be just the way their system reports
things, but I find it VERY suspect...

Further (from their FAQ):
When and how can I use a .usa domain name?
The .usa domain names are currently being registered for activation in 2002.
They will initially be viewed on the Internet by making a slight alteration
to your web browser.
[A slight alteration to you web browser? What are they referring to, a
registry hack, a plug in, something else? Techies might be willing to "alter
their browser" but I doubt the general public would feel safe cruising the
registries.]

Who maintains the .usa registry?
At present the .usa registry is independently maintained by TLD Networks Ltd
24hrs a day on their global network of DNS servers.
[No mention who, exactly "TLD Networks Ltd" is, but again, I find any TLD
controlled by just ONE register, in today's day and age where several are
the norm, fishy.]

What rules govern domain name registration?
The rules governing the registration of .usa domain names appears in our
Registration Terms and Conditions.
You should make sure that the name you want to register doesn't infringe any
copyright or trademarks.
[All the names I checked above are trademarked, yet I'm pretty certain that
"Scott Pedersen" doesn't work for both NBC and WalMart.]

Again, every name I checked, if taken, has been "registered" in the past
couple weeks, and NONE by a company, just by individuals. This, to me,
screams SCAM. But of course, I could be proven wrong next year...

Kehvan M. Zydhek

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay Strickland" <strickland(at)wingswept.com>
To: <hwg-business(at)hwg.org>
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2001 05:50
Subject: Scam?


> http://www.dotusa.com/
>
> One of my clients gave me a call this morning about this...
>
> My guess is that it's a scam so are there any thoughts one way
> or the other.
>
> Jay
>
> --
> Jay Strickland | strickland(at)wingswept.com
> President, WingSwept Communications, Inc.
> Website: http://www.wingswept.com
>
>
>

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