Internet Register Ireland

Stinicker

My uncle operates a small company and over two years ago he got <SNIP> by the "Internet Register Ireland" he mistakenly confused them with the IEDR who manage his domain name and he sent back the form to them, they targeted him at a similar date to the renewal of his dot .ie domain name. He is an eldery chap and not very well up with these sort of IT issues but knew the importance of renewing his domain name and got <SNIP> by mistaking the IEDR for these shower.

Last year they emailed him claiming he owed them over €900 and upon looking into it there is dozens of stories of this company "Internet Register Ireland" being <SNIP>, so we ignored it. This company is based in Germany and has no relation to the genuine IEDR.

Today we got a phone call from an Irish person working for a debt-collection agency in Prague, Czech Republic. They are now claiming that over €2,000 is owed and are demanding payment for services rendered.

It is a <SNIP> as they <SNIP>. They are not the IEDR but have <SNIP>.

Has anyone dealt with this company before or had any dealings with them? Or have any advice on how to proceed, because there is no way my uncle can go and hand over €2k for nothing.

Nody

Stinicker wrote: »

Has anyone dealt with this company before or had any dealings with them? Or have any advice on how to proceed, because there is no way my uncle can go and hand over €2k for nothing.

Ignoring them (and if they call tell them to wait a moment and put the phone away until they hang up, rinse and repeat to add a bit of cost on to their phone bill).

Five Lamps

The company and their modus operandi is well known and the IEDR have specifically issued an advisory notice about them.

Unfortunately, your uncle has inadvertently signed a contract of sorts and he should seek legal advice. These guys are huffing and puffing looking for compliant types but could flex their muscles. Choosing to ignore them may not make them go away.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

While they may benefit from confusion to garner business, they are not doing anything illegal. They do operate an online database of internet domains and your uncle signed up to be registered with them. He doesn't get much for his money but they do actually provide a service. He should contact a solicitor and examine closely how it was sold to him.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

foggy_lad

Five Lamps wrote: »

The company and their modus operandi is well known and the IEDR have specifically issued an advisory notice about them.

Unfortunately, your uncle has inadvertently signed a contract of sorts and he should seek legal advice. These guys are huffing and puffing looking for compliant types but could flex their muscles. Choosing to ignore them may not make them go away.

There is no contract because this company are out to <SNIP> and mislead people and make them pay for services that are not requeated or required or ordered.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

foggy_lad wrote: »

There is no contract because this company are out to <SNIP> and mislead people and make them pay for services that are not requeated or required or ordered.

The OP admits his uncle signed up with them, so he has a contract. I argree they benefit by confusion with IEDR but they do actually provide what they say they do. Misleading yes, and he should have called foul at first contact but he did sign up.

keithclancy

I think the best course of action is to sit tight and do nothing.

Engaging with them will only waste more of your time.

emeldc

It looks like the OP had some sort of contract alright, but then so had Rory McIlroy.
I doubt they will sue but even if they did get a judgement against you, they would have to chase you for that as well. IMO they will just move on to some other poor sucker. I'd ride it out.

sandin

This is probably best suited to the business forum.

Tell them to issue whatever legal proceeding they like and you very much look forward to meeting them in court. Tell them that under no circumstances will they see one red cent from you and you are chomping at the bit for the court action and you already have media interest in their methods of business.

Ask them if they are willing to take part in an interview regarding their business tactics with a national newspaper.

Also ask them to send all details of their claim along with the relevant court summons to your solicitors to whom you have now passed the file to.


I assure you, you will not hear from them again. They have NEVER taken a court action against anyone in Ireland or the UK. If they call you or your uncle, tell them in your best, and most polite language to go eff themselves.

This from FBD in 2012 with images of the letters - very convincing, but I doubt if it would hold up in a court as it is set out to dupe people and thankfully judges are intelligent enough to tell outfits like this what to do with themselves.
http://blog.fbd.ie/2010/01/20/beware-of-internet-register-ireland-scam/

dudara

A very good point there, raised by sandin. This is not actually a Consumer Issue as your uncle operates a business. Therefore I am moving this to the Entreprenurial & Business Management forum.

dudara

IRE60

The same 'business model' was running here in the early naughtiness. The company was as well based in Germany and they sent mailshots to thousands of Irish Business suggesting that they give their business details for a free listig in the European Business Directory (Or a name similar).
The sting was that when you signed, you also agreed that the second year you'd pay €900 for the listing - very few people spotted it.

It generated huge negative publicity for the German company (not that they cared), but from my point - the directory business as a whole - as i ran a ligit directory at the time, I had to get involved.

Cutting this short - the legal opinion, legal I'd stress, was that you had infact signed a legal agreement and claiming ignorance of the €900 listing was no fallback as it was under your signature and in the same font size, color etc as the rest of the agreement.

But the collection and enforcement might be a different matter. The 'business model' is like email schemes - send out enough and 1% ROI will be a nice sum. Same there, get 5% to pay the company in Prague and you're quids in.

I'd hold tight, if the uncle is not up for it - put someone with a bit of fire power into the fray (no offence to the Uncle)

Start getting details of the 2,000 debt etc - but then simply ignore it.

mneylon

This scam has been running for several years.
Unfortunately they always find fresh victims.

As others have advised - ignore them

If you feel you can't ignore them there are plenty of solicitors who've had to deal with this rubbish over the years ...