Internet Number Resource Fraud Reporting

Objective

This reporting process is to be used to notify the American Registry for Internet Numbers, Ltd. (ARIN) of suspected Internet number resource abuse including the submission of false documentation and information for the purpose of (1) obtaining Internet number resources, (2) gaining approval to transfer Internet number resources, (3) making unauthorized changes to ARIN’s Whois, or (4) hijacking of number resources in ARIN’s database.

Please note that this reporting process is NOT for reporting illegal or fraudulent Internet activity like network abuse, phishing, spam, identity theft, hacking, scams, or any other activity unrelated to the scope of ARIN’s mission. Visit our Network Abuse page for more information on these activities.

To report suspected fraud, please use the provided web form.

Scope

The process described here is not meant to remove or impinge upon the ability of the ARIN Board of Trustees or President to carry out their legal, fiduciary, or operational responsibilities. Various circumstances may require different procedures. ARIN staff manages this process and reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue it at any time for any reason.

The Fraud Reporting Process

The Fraud Reporting Process consists of three parts: submission, investigation, and reporting.

Part A. Submission Process

• All reports of suspected Internet number resource fraud should be submitted through a web-based form at https://account.arin.net/public/fraud/index.xhtml. (For issues regarding spam or network intrusions, please visit SPAM and Network Abuse Reporting).
• Submissions should be factual in nature and contain as much verifiable information as possible in order to assist in the investigation.
• Submitters will receive an auto-reply email from ARIN that requires action on their part.
• Submitters will need to confirm receipt of this email by clicking on the URL provided in the text in order for the fraud report to be entered into the process.
• After confirming, the submitter will receive an auto-reply from ARIN that contains their fraudulent report ID number for future reference.

Part B. Investigation Process

1. ARIN will investigate the report by taking actions that may include the following:

• Reviewing data/documentation submitted to ARIN to justify the allocation or transfer of resources.
• Conducting external research.
• Requesting any additional data from the appropriate parties.

2. Due to the variety, scope, and complexity of reports, the duration of investigations will vary.
3. Reports regarding Internet number resources managed and administered outside of the ARIN region may be referred to the appropriate Regional Internet Registry (RIR).
4. Information collected by ARIN during the investigation process will be treated as confidential by ARIN. However, ARIN may have to disclose confidential information in a court proceeding or to law enforcement agencies for investigation purposes.

Based on the results of our investigation, ARIN may:

• Reclaim any resources that were issued or transferred based on fraudulent data.
• Reclaim any resources registered to a defunct organization that has no successor eligible to transfer the resources.
• Revert any unauthorized changes.
• Request the appropriate parties to update the registration record with accurate and updated information.

Part C. Reporting Process

ARIN will report investigation results. Reporting will exclude submitter information to preserve anonymity. If appropriate, ARIN may refer fraud reports to the appropriate government and/or law enforcement agencies.

The report will contain the following information:

1. Date of report & ticket number;
2. Type of report; and
3. General summary.