WARNING: Domain Renewal Group

Kymmy · 24-07-2009, 14:06

I'm currently going through all my domains removing the registered addresses because I'm sick and tired of this group DOMAIN RENEWAL GROUP trying to rip me off.

For those not familiar with the name it's a hosting company that trawls the domain registrations for addresses and then send what looks like official domain expiry/renewal forms to the registered owners charging extortionate prices (starting at Â£20 a year) to renew thier domain. The company logo is designed to look like it's from states goverment as they mainly target .COM/.NET/.ORG owners.

The letters are worded such that someone who doesn't know that they're not official will think that they're likely to lose thier domain and the latest letter I got for a .ORG that's up for renewal in December states that if I don't renew by the 21st August I WILL lose the domain

Only if you read the small print does it specify that they are not part of the US domain system and also the letter is not a bill.

So guys please be warned as to this tactic and also please avoid these overpriced people who seem to be so desperate for your business that they'll use tactics that verge on the border of scamming you..

webcrawler2050 · 24-07-2009, 14:12

Yep, the official term, is domain front running! It's a nightmare! Good job, you are "techie" clued up..

punky · 24-07-2009, 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

I'm currently going through all my domains removing the registered addresses because I'm sick and tired of this group DOMAIN RENEWAL GROUP trying to rip me off.

For those not familiar with the name it's a hosting company that trawls the domain registrations for addresses and then send what looks like official domain expiry/renewal forms to the registered owners charging extortionate prices (starting at Â£20 a year) to renew thier domain. The company logo is designed to look like it's from states goverment as they mainly target .COM/.NET/.ORG owners.

The letters are worded such that someone who doesn't know that they're not official will think that they're likely to lose thier domain and the latest letter I got for a .ORG that's up for renewal in December states that if I don't renew by the 21st August I WILL lose the domain

Only if you read the small print does it specify that they are not part of the US domain system and also the letter is not a bill.

So guys please be warned as to this tactic and also please avoid these overpriced people who seem to be so desperate for your business that they'll use tactics that verge on the border of scamming you..

Don't forget your domains must have valid contact information at all times - its an ICANN legal requirement. Must either be yours or a proxy.

Speaking of ICANN, it seems that a lot of 'proper' registrars (including GoDaddy and Network Solutions) are behaving like scammers http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/07...ules?art_pos=1

Your post does remind me of something i've encountered before. Some company complained they had control of mycompany.ltd.uk (which we never bothered registering) and that they had an offer to sell it and wanted to give us first refusal at an extortionate price. Basically it was blackmail as they insinuated that as they'll have no control over what the buyer does with it, it could hurt our business. Whilst on the phone, I checked the whois, saw it was free, and regged it for a couple of years for a few quid. Told them what i'd done and then they hung up on me

Worth pointing out the registrars are allowed to register domains free for upto 5 days before either releasing them or paying for them.

AntiSilence · 24-07-2009, 14:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

DOMAIN RENEWAL GROUP

Had a few of those... Straight in the recycle bin. But as you say, someone not clued up could fall for it and cough up. Borderline fraud if you ask me.

tweetiepooh · 24-07-2009, 16:50

My domain registrar and I guess others can mask your details, possibly for a fee, on WhoIS.

Kymmy · 24-07-2009, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

My domain registrar and I guess others can mask your details, possibly for a fee, on WhoIS.

Which in the end you're just paying someone else to hide details that shouldn't be used.. Which I think is just as bad as the scammers

punky · 24-07-2009, 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Which in the end you're just paying someone else to hide details that shouldn't be used.. Which I think is just as bad as the scammers

Erm, what?

Graham M · 24-07-2009, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

Don't forget your domains must have valid contact information at all times - its an ICANN legal requirement. Must either be yours or a proxy.

Speaking of ICANN, it seems that a lot of 'proper' registrars (including GoDaddy and Network Solutions) are behaving like scammers http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/07...ules?art_pos=1

Your post does remind me of something i've encountered before. Some company complained they had control of mycompany.ltd.uk (which we never bothered registering) and that they had an offer to sell it and wanted to give us first refusal at an extortionate price. Basically it was blackmail as they insinuated that as they'll have no control over what the buyer does with it, it could hurt our business. Whilst on the phone, I checked the whois, saw it was free, and regged it for a couple of years for a few quid. Told them what i'd done and then they hung up on me

Worth pointing out the registrars are allowed to register domains free for upto 5 days before either releasing them or paying for them.

Yep I've had the exact same thing for loonyasylum.com I was emailed by a company asking me $600 or something like that for the domain, and I went and bought it from 1and1 for 8.99 lol

Kymmy · 24-07-2009, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

Erm, what?

The fact that companies are offering to hide peoples details to stop scammers means that they're preying on the fact that the scammers are there. They should instead be complaining to ICANN that these companies are abusing the whois system.

AntiSilence · 24-07-2009, 19:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

The fact that companies are offering to hide peoples details to stop scammers means that they're preying on the fact that the scammers are there. They should instead be complaining to ICANN that these companies are abusing the whois system.

Most domain providers allow private individuals to hide their address details for no fee, mine do. I wouldn't pay a company for it.

punky · 24-07-2009, 19:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

The fact that companies are offering to hide peoples details to stop scammers means that they're preying on the fact that the scammers are there. They should instead be complaining to ICANN that these companies are abusing the whois system.

What?

They proxy personal details because there are far too many violent, psychotic people out there who know how to do a WHOIS.

"Stopping scammers" (not entirely sure how it does as all contact through the proxy comes to you anyway) is mucher lower reason down the list i'd have thought.

Kymmy · 24-07-2009, 20:01

Why charge for the service then? It's not as if it costs them anything??

It's weird though how domain name hosting is one of the very few things that requires you to normally publicly divulge your personal address details on the internet. And it seems the only way round it is to be charged for the privalege

**Mick** · 24-07-2009, 20:33

ALL CF domains that I've registered are proxied.

Walford · 27-07-2009, 02:25

Most of my domains are using Fasthost's Domain Security feature.

Kymmy · 23-07-2010, 18:43

Just got one of these again for a dot ORG that I own. Still trying to con people and the letters haven't changed apart from now adding a new section for Other Available Domains. In this sections they're offering me for Â£20 a year the dotCOM and dot NET equivelant of my dot ORG domain. Weird thing is that I know that the dot COM is owned by Yamaha and the dot NET is already owned by myself (bought the same time as the dot ORG.