Be aware of domain scams

[antic]

Just received this in my inbox.. looks like an official email from a registrar, but the email header says it's from crazyjoe2031@hotmail.com.

Domain Update Center
FINAL NOTICE

ATT: <registrant>
ADMINISTRATIVE CONTACT
etc. etc.

Please be advised that the above noted domain name has now become available for registration. Consequently the possibility of conflicting domain registration may occur.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES LEGAL CODE

TITLE 15, Sec 1125. False descriptions, and dilution of Trademarks and the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) .........

blah blah etc. etc. for an entire PAGE! Very official-looking.

Then, at the end...

Please check the options that you wish to apply:

[ ] Registration of <www.yourdomain.info> domain.
[ ] 1 Year .......... $50
[ ] 2 Year .......... $85
[ ] 5 Year .......... $160 (Recommended)
[ ] 10 Year .......... $300 (Best Value)

Since when does a .info domain (which I don't even own) cost $50 per year to renew?

Credit Card Information

Type of Credit Card (Please check one):
�MasterCard [ ] �American Express [ ] �Visa [ ] �Discover [ ] �Check

etc. etc.

Please sign and fax this form to 1(718)208-4213 in order for us to quickly process your order.

hmmmm

Might be worth alerting your clients to the potential for being sucked into this one.

[mresell]

I get similiar in the mail often.

[Zoren]

I have had some clients that handled their own domains get taken by those "fake" invoices sent to them in the mail. Very annoying. Now I think they state in small print somewhere... "this is not an invoice" although the entire doc looks like a bill.

[ixie02]

I checked one I received yesterday and they claimed it expired 3 month's before it actually does. In other words, I received the scam 6 months before expiration of the domain. I manage most of my clients domain names and when they recieved one of these scam letters they call me freaking out that there domain is expiring.

[dpyers]

IIRC, the snail mail comes with from someplace with American in the name and a few flag pics scattered about. Been gettting letters from them for the past 3-4 years. Doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to how they select the domains to mail you about.

Never got one for a domain that I used a registrar information mask for though.

[Silverbug]

Originally Posted by dpyers

IIRC, the snail mail comes with from someplace with American in the name and a few flag pics scattered about. Been gettting letters from them for the past 3-4 years. Doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to how they select the domains to mail you about.

Never got one for a domain that I used a registrar information mask for though.

Yeah i get a bunch of those ones too all the way down here.

[mresell]

Bulk register went after them, but they only altered their fine print. That is who I get also. Really low lifey.

[Brangwyn]

Originally Posted by Silverbug

Yeah i get a bunch of those ones too all the way down here.

Ditto .. get a couple every month or so, I don't even open them now, go straight in the bin.