Last week I got mail from the Domain Registry of Canada, a reminder that some of my domain names will expire in a couple of months and that I should renew them – better today than later or too late.
Now here’s the catch... I am my own registrar and I don't do any business with this organisation. By reading this sneaky piece carefully to the end, you will eventually discover that "this notice is not a bill"... if you read carefully. Just what kind of “notice” is it and who are these people? This is NOT from CIRA, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority. Looks can be deceiving.
Can you read it? This is not a bill. No, it's a scam!
This letter is surely not targeted to customers who read an official looking domain name expiration notice carefully enough to find out that it is a scam. The issuer more likely hopes that the recipient quickly hands it off to an administrator who will just make the payment. After all, if it’s been approved by the recipient, their job is to get it paid or the website will go offline, right?
The scam works
This is exactly happened two years ago with one of my customers. I realized what was going on when I received a domain transfer request from this registrar. Having a great relationship with my client, I knew that my client had no intention of moving his domain name.
If you don't watch out and you agree to this confirmation e-mail, your domain will be transferred away. You will still own your domain. But as it’s quite possible you have purchased a package deal with your current registrar: domain name plus free e-mail account(s), in this case you’ll find them billing you pretty quickly for your existing e-mail account.
But even if in the end you do not agree to the transfer: the money is gone. Don't expect any refund from this company!
I am really wondering why these practices do not get stopped by any governing authorities? For sure - as you can see from the following links - there are enough people complaining about this practice:
Mezzoblue: Domain Registry Scam
Domain Registry Of Canada Scam With Direct Mail And Online
Domain Registry of Canada (DROC) Swindling Domains