‘Domain Registry of America’ Scam

category: Site
by Soph,

I was sent a letter today from the ‘Domain Registry of America’, urging me to renew my domain name as it is due to expire on the 18th February 2008. This is perfectly true, and they also had my address and domain name details and the name of the person to be billed correct. However, there were a few things that I found slightly suspicious about this letter:

- My domain name is registered with ‘MyValueHost.com’ and I have never heard of the ‘Domain Registry of America’, nor received any letters or emails from them in the past.

- The cost of renewal for my domain name has always been around £2, and yet DROA have asked me to pay £18 for the year’s renewal.

- I have only ever received emails asking me to renew my domain name - never letters. What’s more, I’ve had plenty of scam emails about it in the past which also made me a little suspicious.

The letter implies that what you are paying for is a simple renewal of your domain name - however, what actually happens when you pay the money is that your domain name registration is moved to the Domain Registry of America.

What’s clever about the DROA scam is that it’s actually quite a legitimate letter - it does inform the reader that the letter simply offers ‘an easy means of payment should you decide to switch your domain name registration to the Domain Registry of America‘. However, the bulk of the information given in the letter and the huge amount of (very, very) small print on the back is extremely misleading and it is easy to see how someone could be duped into thinking that what they are paying for is just an ordinary renewal of their domain name. DROA obtain your account details through WHOIS, which makes your domain name information available to everyone. So don’t be fooled by the fact that they know lots of information about you - unless you want to pay an extortionate amount of money to have your domain name renewed and moved to another registrar (and then have to pay the expenses for moving it back, thanks to their lovely terms and conditions on the back of the letter), ignore this letter as soon as you receive it!

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Comments

4 Comments so far

strugglingwriter | 10 December 2007, 15:27
That’s pretty shady. I wonder how many people will fall for it. I’m glad you didn’t.
Rob | 10 December 2007, 22:05
Good for you, checking in to that. Too often people don’t research what they’re signing in to.

Apparently, the Domain Registry of America is a dodgy registrar from Canada. So, sorry from Canada!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/01/06/court_bars_canadian_domain_slammer/
Absolute Vanilla (and Atyllah) | 11 December 2007, 18:27
Glad you didn’t fall for this. It never ceases to amaze me how many people are willing to scam others - it’s sickening.
Peter | 12 December 2007, 18:47
Gosh-o. I personally have a hidden WHOIS anyways for pretty much this reason, so maybe you should look into that.

But glad you didnt fall for it, you vigilant little so-and-so!

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