Coder

Got a call from someone from The London Office of Verifications and Registrations www.loovar.co.uk today. I have a small business and the lady who phoned told me who she was calling from and that they had received an application to have my company name registered in all the other available extensions ie: .net, .biz, .info, .eu. I was told they also wanted the .co.uk extension which I already have and the .com extension. I was also told the company applying for the extensions was in the same line of business as I am and was also based in London, as I am.

I was told that they were calling to verify that I was the person applying for the extensions and when I said no they said it was probably being applied for with malicious attempt to draw traffic away from my site. They said that as I was already trading under that name that they would give me 1st refusal. I was out at the time and I admit it kinda put the frighteners on me and I foolishly decided to go ahead and purchase these domain extensions. Total price £470. (£100 each for 2years + VAT.)

I did ask them if they were from Nominet and they said no they were from The London Office of Verifications and Registrations. It sounds like some body for domains and I bought it! What a plonker! It turns out they're no more than another register! And their domain www.loovar.co.uk was only registered 26 days only. And they haven't bother to register .net, .biz, .info, .eu. for their domain name!
Let's face it...domains registered in the UK are on a first-come first-served basis and no registrar would bother checking if companies with different extensions might be affected by new registrations. Hardly their concern! But at the time I didn't think they were just a registrar.

I contacted Nominet and they said to contact Trading Standards.
I sent Loovar an email 1st and told them of my intent to inform trading standards if they don't cancel the domains and refund me.

Hope no-one else falls for this one!!!

Coder
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meinthecorner

Hmm I quite like this

Coder

Just seen in the contact info, in the WhoIS information for their .com extension is:info@streamlineltd.co.uk

Loovar have the same phone no. as streamlineltd but stramlineltd's website only has a phone no. now. Seem to have moved names, having been rumbled. They have the same address as when they were streamlineltd, in Fleet street!

http://www.uksmallbusinessforums.com...s.asp?TID=6632

meinthecorner

Just thinking if you paid by credit card, could you not call your issuer and stop the transactions?

olebean

The business changed names in July. There are two directors, if you need welsh addresses let me know..

Coder

Tried that, they can't do it.
They said they haven't any control there end on that, only DD's.
Maybe when it comes out I could say I don't know anything about it!! And get the money back that way. It's happened before when someone used my details to pay a parking fine!!

olebean

You could initiate a chargeback..

Coder

Isn't that were you don't get the goods?
They did what they said, it's just they lied to pressure me into the expensive purchase.

meinthecorner

Maybe you could have then on the Distance Selling RegulationsTwll them you are rejecting the service under DSR, if they dont comply, then charge back.

Coder

Thanks meinthecorner! Didn't think of that!
It doesn't say anything about that on their Terms and Conditions.

It says this in their Payment Policies - Payment Processing
:By purchasing our domain and/or hosting services, you are agree to pay London Office of Verifications and Registrations Ltd the required duration of said service(s) in full. If the customer wishes to cancel before the full length paid for, we will refund/credit for un-used service time paid. Please note that there may be an additional admin charge of no more than ?20 (UK GBP) for early cancellations.

and this in their Cancellation policy: Fees for products and services are non-refundable, unless there is an express money-back guarantee.