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Nominet, the domain registrar for all domain names ending in .uk, has obtained a freezing order in the Australian courts to freeze the assets of two fraudsters. London-based anti-fraud lawyer Steven Philippsohn comments.
The fraudsters allegedly accessed Nominetโs WHOIS database, which contains details of the owners of all .uk domain names, and โdata-minedโ the contact details of 50,000 domain name owners. The data was then allegedly used to send misleading invoices in the name of โthe UK Internet Registryโ.
The fraud forced Nominet to temporarily suspend access to its WHOIS database. However, the fraudsters have now been prohibited from transferring assets to third parties or out of Australia until the court determines the extent of their liability for breaching Nominetโs copyright in its WHOIS database.
The case is yet another demonstration of the effective use of the civil court by victims of fraud to protect their assets and recover their losses. The English courts have a variety of powers to trace fraudsters and thieves of confidential information. The Court may grant orders against third parties such as banks and ISPs to force them to provide information about the fraudsters. Once the fraudsters have been found, it is possible to freeze their worldwide assets.
