Scam Warning - Domain Renewal Group
Author: David25 Nov
Last week I received a letter from the Domain Renewal Group claiming to offer to renew my domain DailyEcoTips.com because my domain is close to expiry. However, it felt really odd, as I already knew which registrar the domain was registered with, and I had never heard of the Domain Renewal Group. Something smelt fishy, a quick google turned up lots of information about a scam.
If you read the letter carefully, you realise that they are using an approach called slamming, which tricks you into switching your domains to another company. In this particular case, they are highlighting that my domain is due to expire shortly, and that I risk losing the domain name unless I renew my registration.
Although the letter states that it is not a bill, it has been designed to look like an invoice. An interesting aside is that they offer dailyecotips.net and dailyecotips.org to be registered too. However, the prices are about twice as expensive as they need to be compared to any US registrar.
I made the mistake of leaving my contact details in full view in the Whois record, which is undesirable as a private individual. If I was a limited company, then that’s a little safer. However, I’ve enabled the whois privacy to avoid that happening.
- Filed under: Domains, Top Tips
- Tags: domain registration, Domain Renewal Group, Domains, scam, slamming, transfer domain
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24 Responses for "Scam Warning - Domain Renewal Group"
I had one these letters recently as well, luckily I also spotted it was a scam. I wonder how many busy accounts departments for small companies just send a cheque off without thinking?
Good tip about setting the privacy on the whois if you are a private individual. Nice post Dan, even if it stops one person from falling for this scam it will help put these people out of business.
Yeah, thing is, because there is money in what this company is doing, they have motivation to continue with what they do.
That’s just sad. Good thing you did not fall for it. I second John on the tip about setting the privacy on whois.
While it is a good thing to trust other people, you can never be too careful nowadays especially with people like those at that bogus company perpetually looking for ways to take advantage of other people.
I recieved this letter as well - sent to an organization that I am the volunteer treasurer. Thinking it was a renewal notice, I sent in $95 dollars which they cashed on Sept 8, 2008. Next a recieved an email stating there was a problem with transfering the account. I called and found out that we did not have an account with them. I demaneded an immediate refund. That was Sept. 15, 2008.
Oct. 11 call number 2 - no refund. Oct 20 call number 3 - no refund and was told it would be sent on Oct 22. Dec. 1 call number 4 - no refund, was told it would be sent on Dec. 5. Dec. 11 call number 5 - no refund, was told check will be sent by the end of the week and that they had held payment to varify my address.
It appears to me that the organization will not get the $95 refund. I am calling the Better Business Burea today.
In the UK, we have Trading Standards (an agency to help with dodgy companies). They would probably recommend taking them to a small claims court (or whatever your equivalent is).
I came to know about this kind of scam some 4/5 years ago. I have just checked the whois of ‘Domain Renewal Group’ and the domain name admin contact has the same email which belongs to the company that I was talking about “Domain Registry of America”. check the below posting it dates back to 2004 !
http://www.dnforum.com/f77/dom.....69191.html
I wonder how come these people are still able to cheat or atleast trying to cheat ! why are they not behind the bars ?!
one of my friend received same kind latter before long time ago, but instead of cash he sent an inquiry latter, answer came late but finally problem resolved….
Yeah, thing is, because there is money in what this company is doing, they have motivation to continue with what they do.
There are other domain scam sites like easynamesale which ask people to take a domain appraisal and no response once you paid the money.
Sounds like a traditional scam to me
I received this letter today, since the rates quoted were high and since I had never dealt with these guys before it smelt fishy. Thanks for the info in this post. I saved myself. I am going to report this to scamwatch http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/co.....mId/694011 Thanks.
Ah, thanks for the tip Raj!
Hi Everyone,
I too got this letter today and will report it to trading standards tomorrow. It would be great if as many others would do the same in an attempt to bring an end to this crude scam.
Don’t bother ringing Domain Renewal Group to complain, it will only make you angrier! :*
Aye. Reporting them to trading standards will help make a case against them.
I am looking at the same letter already mentioned…
$30 a year is quoted.
I am also having trouble with Yahoo web hosting, cannot find a valid customer service number. Anyone know a good web hosting company? Thanks
Norm Seubert
Call the company and ask to be taken off the mailing list.
I got this notice and smelled fish too. Googling got me to this thread. Thanks so much for the early intel. Ps I am USA based.
it says its due to run out in a few months on April 1st 2009 but your reply is due by December 23rd 2007???? how does that work thats more than a few months apart
I fell for this is there anything that can be done now!
Brandi,
I’d transfer your domain name to a reputable registrar and cancel any automatic renewals that these scammers might have included in the contract. You’re out what you paid, most likely, but at least you can get a better registrar with better service as well as a better rate for future renewals. Good luck!
I have received a few of these and so have some of my website customers. One almost paid it.
Isn’t it against the law to use the US mail to steal money from people? Who can we report them to? The return address is in Buffalo, NY, USA.
I just got this letter a month ago and it looks exactly the same. I didn’t respond yet because I didn’t have the money for an early renewal.
I found the letter in a pile today and reread it. It seemed weird to transfer my domain when I’ve never heard of them and I’m just fine with my current hosting site. So, I did a quick search and found out about this scam. Thank goodness I waited or I would have been out of $95, which I can’t afford.
Seems like everyone wants to scam you instead of offering you good service.
Bluehost keeps my physical address private, listing my site under their business address instead. BUT for the first time I received this scam letter from Domain Renewal Group. My mailing address is not listed anywhere on my website (it is a porn site, so I have good reasons) and I have been successful up till now to not have it leaked. Where do I rage: Bluehost or Domain Renewal Group? Did
1: Bluehost sold my physical address info.
2: Domain Renewal Group challenged to obtain my legal physical address from Bluehost, and they were tricked/caved.
Thank you for this article.
As a matter of fact, I did receive - yesterday at my Home address in France - such a letter from this shady Company.
Of course I destroyed the above document, but each Webmaster should know that - according to French Law- such a scam may be prosecuted, as an illegal attempt to interfere between an individual and the registered contract he legally has with the REAL company which is in charge with the maintenance of his very private Domain Name.
With best regards
OGERAU - SOLACROUP
FRANCE
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