RSSDon't be ripped off by unscrupulous Domain Renewal companies
I received a letter in the post the other day and as soon as I saw the envelope I knew that it was from a disreputable company. I've seen lots of these envelopes over the years, and just the fact that this arrives IN THE REGULAR POST is enough to set off warning bells.
Let me show you how I know these are fake renewals - well, to be absolutely clear, they're not FAKE because they are actually requests to renew. What I object to is that they are not the company which the domain owner signed up with. They are preying on folks who won't read this document clearly, and will fall into their trap.
The envelope:
- the fact that this arrived IN THE POST is your first clue; it is unusual for a Domain Registrar to send an invoice int he post
- the envelope is post-marked JAMAICA, NEW YORK but the return address is Melbourne, Australia.
The Expiration Notice
Notice the following:
- the expiration date in the first paragraph is August 27
- the Reply Requested By date is April 25 - FOUR MONTHS in advance
- the sentence, "You must renew your domain name to retain exclusive rights ..." is a scarcity ploy to trick people into paying, thereby MOVING their domain to a different Domain registrar they've never heard of
- the statement, "This is not a bill." covers them legally
- the price is more than double the regular hosting company charges.
All of these points add up to a WARNING! WARNING! in my mind.
If you have domains purchased through me, you will never receive a renewal notice in the post.
If you're in doubt, get in touch and let me know and we'll sort it out for you.
As always, be cautious before renewing anything to do with your website or domain which arrives in the post.
And don't forget - if in DOUBT, don't do it. Ask for help and, "Don't be ripped off by unscrupulous Domain Renewal companies".
Cheerio for now
Teena
