Stamp out dodgy domain registration, Icann told

More than eight per cent of all internet domain names are registered with false or incomplete information, according to a US government study into the prevalence of phony websites.

The study, released on Wednesday by the US General Accountability Office, showed that 2.31 million domain names, or 5.14 per cent of all domain registrations, have been registered with information "obviously and intentionally false" (such as a (999) 999-9999 telephone number, the report says). The GAO also found that 1.6 million, or 3.6 per cent, contained incomplete data in one or more of the required fields.

The report drew a response from Representative Lamar Smith, chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property.

Smith, a Republican from Texas, said in a statement released on Wednesday: "Vendors unwilling to identify themselves publicly are more than likely fraudulent."

Smith concluded that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann), the standards body for internet domain names, is failing to "weed out such fraudulent identifications".

The rise of phishing scams has prompted Congress to investigate. Roughly one in four US internet users have been targets of phishing attacks, according to a study conducted by Time Warner.

Contact information for operators of websites is publicly available through the Whois internet service. Data from Whois could help law enforcement officials track down internet criminals - provided it's accurate.

The GAO said Icann is now requiring registrars to investigate and correct any reported inaccuracies in contact information. The internet group continues to assess the operation of the registration process and look for ways to improve accuracy, according to the agency's report.

Attempts to reach an Icann representative were not successful.

This is not the first time Icann has been called on to monitor the accuracy of its registrations more closely. A study three years ago found Icann policies encouraged but did not require registration organisations - such as Go Daddy or VeriSign - to verify information from people who have submitted false information. It recommended Icann change those policies.

Greg Sandoval writes for CNET News.com