The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating a recent domain name marketing campaign conducted by web address provider VeriSign, according to a report by Reuters. The investigation appears to be focusing on the company’s practice of transferring and deleting domain names, and then sending “renewal notices” to customers of rival registrars in a marketing campaign that ended in May 2002.

It is reported that the FTC is also investigating VeriSign’s relationship with Interland, a web hosting company which re-sells VeriSign domain names.

In March 2000, VeriSign and Interland announced that they would be widening the scope of an existing agreement between them, for the marketing of VeriSign domain names and security products, to hosting small and medium-sized businesses.

Two competitors, whose customers received renewal notices from VeriSign, have alleged that the company’s direct mail campaign was aimed at deceiving customers into switching to VeriSign. They raised an action against the company for “deceptive business practices” and have already won a preliminary injunction.

Two further lawsuits have been filed by a class-action lawyer but the cases have yet to be heard.

According to the Reuters’ report, a spokesman for VeriSign would not comment on the investigation itself but did state that the company intends to co-operate fully with the FTC.

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