Indian digital marketing agency located in West Bengal TistaSoft.com has been unmasked for flouting AUDA (Australian Domain Authority) regulations by registering numerous .com.au domain names (43) in total for use in a PBN network (link farm), leading to an enforcement action.
The .com.au domains are operated in direct violation of AUDA policy, which mandates that only Australian entities are eligible to register such domains:
These domains were registered through GoDaddy, the preferred registrar for foreign entities attempting to sidestep Australian regulations.
Our investigation revealed that many of these domains featured outdated and inaccurate WHOIS information, further complicating the regulatory oversight and compliance enforcement.
AUDA’s stringent policies are designed to ensure that .com.au and .net.au domains are reserved for Australian businesses and individuals, a crucial measure for maintaining the integrity of the .au domain space.
TistaSoft’s actions undermine regulations, prompting swift action
Sources within AUDA confirmed that the agency is currently working to de-register these illicitly obtained domains. Godaddy has also been contacted regarding the violations.
The scandal has sparked outrage among Australian businesses and domain owners who have expressed frustration over the misuse of the .com.au domain space. Many are calling for tighter controls and increased scrutiny to prevent future infractions at Godaddy.
As the crackdown continues, AUDA’s actions serve as a stern reminder of the importance of adhering to domain registration regulations and the ongoing vigilance required to maintain the sanctity of the .au namespace.
When questioned about a guest posting spam email received by several websites, TistaSoft.com responded with a dismissive tone, stating:
“I operate for our Australian business partner. It seems the email was sent as BCC, which is why it went unnoticed. If it had been CC, I would have seen it. Anyway, my apologies. Have a nice week ahead.”
Nazeeya – [email protected]
https://tistasoft.com
However, a deeper investigation into the domain WHOIS database revealed numerous discrepancies and mismatches in the provided information, raising further concerns about the legitimacy of TistaSoft’s operations and its adherence to AUDA policies.
The domains were being used to sell hyperlinks, a practice that violates many platforms’ terms of service and can severely undermine the integrity of search engine results.
The alarm was raised and the issue originally came to light when the marketing agency was found sending guest post spam emails, attempting to sell backlinks (hyperlinks) through the PBN blogs attached to the domain names.
Now, Tistasoft is looking down the barrel of refunding potentially thousands of dollars in PBN blog link sales to individuals and other marketing agencies globally,
The AUDA has begun suspending the domains, underscoring the broader challenges faced by regulatory bodies in managing domain registrations in an increasingly globalised digital landscape.
As authorities grapple with this latest breach, the spotlight remains on ensuring compliance and safeguarding the integrity of Australia’s digital domain infrastructure.
