Protecting Yourself from Website Scams
October 20th, 2011I run my own websites and help several friends and groups with their websites. Some of them, I manage and host and some have their own registration and accounts. Every few months, someone will contact me and ask a question about a message or piece of mail they got concerning their website. Most of the time, I tell them to ignore/throw away the message.
If you have a website, it is important that you take some ownership in the website and know where your domain names are registered and who is hosting your website. With this information, you can avoid most scams.
Today, I found a piece of mail in my mailbox that looks like a bill and lists the domain names of two of my websites (including this one). The letter tells me that my domain name registration is due to expire in the next few months and that I must renew them to retain exclusive rights to them on the web.
The letter reads:
As a courtesy to domain holders, we are sending you this notification of the domain name registrations that are due to expire in the next few months. When you switch today to [name deleted], you can take advantage of our best savings. Your domain name registrations will expire on March 1, 2012. Act today!
You must renew your domain name to retain exclusive rights to it on the Web, and now is the time to transfer and renew your names from your current Registrar to the [name deleted]. Failure to renew your domain name by the expiration date may result in a loss of your online identity making it diffucult for your customers and friends to locate you on the Web.
Privatation of Domain Registrations and Renewals now allows the consumer the choice of Registrars when initially registering and also when renewing a domain name. Domain name holders are not obligated to renew their domain name with their current Registrar or with the [name deleted]. Review our prices and decide for yourself. You are under no obligation to pay the amounts stated below, unless you accept this offer. This notice is not a bill, it is rather an easy means of payment should you decide to switch your domain name registration to the [name deleted].
I was somewhat surprised, it was not as hard of a sell as I would have expected. They do say it is not a bill, even though it has a payment stub like a real bill. I can see how someone could see the bottom portion and just pay it without reading the attached letter. I didn’t read the fine print to see what they offer, but their prices seem to be 3 times as much as I currently pay.
I still consider it a SCAM. I have no business with this company and they are hoping that I am not smart enough to realize that. They are trying to get me to pay them instead of the companies I really did choose to do business with (Go Daddy and Host Gator).
A few of my friends did respond to such a request by paying the bill. Fortunately, most of the better domain registration companies will not transfer your website registration without your approval. I am not sure if my friends were able to get their money back, but they did NOT loose their websites.
It is OK to get help from a friend who offers to build your website or to pay someone to build it for you, but do NOT pay bills without first checking with them to make sure they are legit.