Don’t Be Fooled by the Domain Registry for America Scam
OPEN IMMEDIATELY.
You may have seen a letter with bright red letters that urge you to open it immediately. It looks like a bill with a pressing issue… It claims that your website’s domain name is about to expire. It seems urgent, so you quickly renew it with a credit card or check.
Beware! Oftentimes, these notices deceitfully sway businesses into fearing their domain name is about to expire. This fear rushes businesses into paying the domain name renewal fee.
The Domain Registry Scam
If you have a website, it is likely you have received a questionable letter notifying you about your domain name expiration. The most common offender seen is the Domain Registry of America (DROA). Their carefully crafted letters deceive businesses with a large American flag, conspicuous pricing, and an urgent expiration date.
When receiving a letter of this kind, stay vigilant. The DROA is a scam.
How Can You Tell if the Notice Is Real or Fake?
Avoid becoming a victim. To differentiate a real notice from a scam, ask yourself these questions:
- Did you receive the notice in the mail? Domain name registration notices are typically sent by email, not via paper mail.
- Does the letter include any contact information? Scams usually don’t have a phone number listed. If there is a number, try to call it (most likely, it will be a fake phone number).
- Are you familiar with the company? Does the company’s name ring a bell? If not, Google search the company’s name paired with the word “scam” in a Google search. If the company is fake, you’ll soon find out.
- Where did you initially register your domain? Find the name and contact information of your domain registrar to confirm. If you have a Powerful website, reach out to our support team with any questions.
What To Do After Receiving a Suspicious Notice
Shred it. Ignore it. Toss it in the trash. Forget about it.
If you are still wary after verifying the notice, contact your IT team and webmaster to inform them of the scam threat. Additional steps can be taken to ensure privacy and protection of your domain registration.
Other Organizations That Send Similar Letters to Be Cautious of
In addition to Domain Registry of America, we also caution to be on the lookout for notices from:
- Domain Name Services
- Domain Registry
- iDNS (Internet Domain Name Services)
- Domain Renewal Group
- Domain Listings
- DNS Services
- DomainRegister
- Domain Name Group
- Web Listings, Inc.
Here to Help
Your website is a critical business aspect, so make sure that your domain registration is protected. Powerful’s team of trusted web experts know and understand the importance of your online presence. We are dedicated to serve your needs and answer questions like “Is this domain notice legit?”. Whatever it may be, Powerful is here to help.
