[At-Large] Petscams and domains

[Derek Smythe]

Worthwhile sharing as this touches on the heart of published ICANN
policies:

https://wtop.com/animals-pets/2017/10/delta-probe-uncovers-criminal-scheme-to-scam-pet-owners/

This investigation will lead to mass abuse of domains, used to defraud
thousands of people. Steve Baker of the US Better Business Bureau also
did an international investigation and uncovered a massive can of
worms. He addressed the pet scam side of it here:
https://www.bbb.org/puppyscam/

Essentially the pet scam has trashed the legitimate portion of the pet
sales sector of the internet. This despite the relevant registrars
being made aware of the malicious domains with fake registration
details and/or proxy abuse. It even led to one unsuccessful Compliance
complaint, not really looked at by Compliance and closed where the
registrar blatantly lied to protect themselves, despite whois data
clearly belying said registrar's claims of innocence.

If certain registrars had really applied policies and lived up to it,
we would not have seen the scourge of illegal activities and gross
violation of third party rights in actionable harm.


Derek Smythe
Artists Against 419
http://www.aa419.org