Usually, we focus on the online world. But many clients have contacted us recently about being bombarded with official-looking invoices for their Australian business name registration (which is different from their domain name registration).

These invoices arrive in envelopes that appear to be from official government bodies with return addresses like the Law Courts.

The invoice content looks just like a regular business invoice, with corporate-looking logos and design. (And yes, we have been saving ours for a rogues gallery - see on the blog).

As you read through the invoices, there are threats that if you don’t renew through that company you will lose your business name, domain name or email address, and your competitors will then take your business name over.

There may be a teensy tiny note at the bottom or somewhere easy to overlook, stating that the invoice is not from ASIC but from a private service provider.

If you are not paying attention, you are likely to pay the invoice without a second thought and unwittingly grant control of your business name to a private service provider rather than directly through ASIC.