Small businesses, in South Africa, should be made aware of of the pitfalls of using [URL Removed] domain names for their websites. Uniforum does not offer any protection to small business owners to prevent their domain names from being transferred without their consent.
I purchased the [URL Removed] and [URL Removed] domain names about 15 years ago to start an online business. On the 18/02/2013, we noticed that our website was replaced with a new page containing only links to other [URL Removed] domains. The Uniforum whois database shows that these domains had been transferred to new registrants without my permission.
I have been paying my fees regularly to Uniforum (last payment July 2012 to July 2013)
Uniforum's response was that they perform an administrative function only and that I need to declare a domain dispute either by litigating or using the alternate dispute resolution mechanism to enforce any trademark rights that I may enjoy in favour of these domains.
It will cost R40, 000 to start the legal process. Therefore it is safer to rather use [URL Removed] [URL Removed] .biz or other domain names from Network Solutions in the USA. You have much more control over these domains.
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