If you have a website, you’ve probably received a Domain Name Expiration Notice. This letter comes by regular mail and urgently states that your domain name is about to expire. In common with many scams, this fake domain renewal letter urges immediate action.
How to spot a fake domain renewal scam
- Know the name of your registrar
Registrar is the name of the company holding the domain. If you receive a notice from anyone other than your registrar, it is a scam. If someone else registered the domain on your behalf, ask them for the name of the registrar that they used. (For added security, contact your registrar and confirm that the domain is locked. Locked domains can not be transferred.) - Verify through your registrar’s website
If the status of your domain is ever in doubt, log into your registrar account directly and verify when the registration will expire. - Keep track of your domain name expiration date
Knowledge is power. Know when your domain registration is due to expire. - Read the letter thoroughly
If it is a fake domain renewal scam, there will be sentences within the letter that clearly indicate that it is not from your existing registrar. Examples of these sentences are: “This is not a bill.” “This is a solicitation.” “You are under no obligation to pay the amount stated above unless you accept this offer.”
Why do scammers send these letters?
Most of us are pretty careful about clicking on links we aren’t sure of. However, when we receive a hard-copy letter in the mail, that same skepticism can slip away. Combining words expressing urgency with the strangeness of getting an unexpected hard-copy bill can lead some to feel vulnerable, leading them to let their guard down. Why do the scammers do it? Because it often works.
The letters are designed to trick you
They may look somewhat official and contain information that you may think is private. However, unless you have paid your registrar extra to keep it private, the information contained in the letter is publicly available. If you receive a domain renewal notice from a service other than the one you registered with, throw it away.
Some companies that are well-known domain-name scammers are: iDNS, Domain Networks, Domain Name Outlet, Domain Registry of America and Internet Registry of Canada.
Where do they get the information?
Whois is the master directory for domain name registrations. Unless a domain owner purchases WHOIS privacy, their name and contact details are publicly visible, along with other technical and contact information.
What happens if you fall for it?
Fake domain name renewal notices are known as Domain Slamming. What happens if you actually follow through on this as instructed?
In some cases, nothing happens other than you lose some money. Some of these scams claim to be selling “marketing services” or “domain listings”. In these cases, you’re just giving them you’re money, getting nothing in return. In other cases, if you do what the letter instructs, your domain name will be transferred away from your existing registrar to a new company. This new company often charges hundreds of dollars for a domain that should cost $20-30.
Still not sure if it’s a fake domain renewal?
Are you still not sure whether the letter is bogus or not? If you are an existing web client of ours, email us a copy of any domain renewal notices you get and we will review it for you and let you know if it’s relevant to you. And if you’re not a client, learn more about our web services, email us at [email protected] or call 518.392.0846