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Professional Hosting| Domain Name Scam |
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| Written by Administrator | |
| Tuesday, 23 October 2007 14:35 | |
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Back in 2003 the Federal Trade Commission had to go to court against the Domain Registry of America, a company known for their use of direct US mail to domain name owners. DROA's mailings tried to convey the impression that they were an expiration notice and that filling out the form and paying would renew the domain registration. But in fact users were transferring their domains from their old registrar to DROA, and at uncompetitive prices. Ironically, the DROA is based in Canada. It also operates in Europe as the Domain Registry of Europe. The letter isn't quite as misleading as it once was, but they're still doing it and you need to beware of them. I just received a letter from DROA about a domain of mine that will expire on March 24, 2008. The title of the letter is "Domain Name Expiration Notice," but the opening paragraph clearly identifies it as an offer to switch to the DROA. It says that the domain will expire "in the next few months" (in fact, it's over 5 months from the date of the letter) and says "Reply Requested By: November 23, 2007". Why the hurry? The letter implies that I will not be eligible for their "best savings" if I don't act now. What are their prices? 1 year for $30, 2 years for $50, or 5 years for $95. These were good prices back around 1998, but even Network Solutions will give you a much better deal these days. In other words, it's a rip-off. Nobody who reads this letter carefully would fall for it. The company clearly has been required to include the truth in their mailings, even if it is surrounded by a misleading sense of alarm. You'd have to be careless to be fooled here, but I'm sure it happens. Domain name owners have to be vigilant. It's not common anymore, especially since the advent of domain locking, but attempts to steal ownership happen. There was a particularly ruthless scheme just a few months ago. The last point about this scam is how they got to me. I registered this domain a few months ago and did nothing—absolutely nothing—with it. DROA got my name and e-mail by harvesting the whois database for it. This is a violation of the CAN-SPAM Act and of the whois terms of service for my registrar. Perhaps I'll write the FTC about it.
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| Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 October 2007 14:39 |
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