It happens at least once a month – almost like clockwork. A client reaches out to me with an “invoice” for their domain from a company they’ve never heard of. The invoice states that the client’s domain is “about to expire” and requests payment to keep the domain name active.
These payments are often for hundreds of dollars and are phishing scams. These attacks are designed to steal personal user data and money and do the rounds so frequently that you’ll likely receive one of these notices if you own a website. So we want you to know what to look for should your contacts or you encounter such a situation.
What is a Domain Renewal Scam?
A domain name is your website’s unique identifier; SiteCare’s is sitecare.com, yours is likely also a variation of your company’s name. Maintaining your unique domain name is essential for your website and brand. So, how does a domain renewal scam work?
Hurry Up and Pay!
In this scam, an unscrupulous domain provider will contact you – via phone, email, or, most commonly, a letter – claiming to be your domain name provider, letting you know your domain name is due for renewal, and requesting a renewal payment.
The letter is full of high-pressure language, often stating that your domain name has expired and that this is a “last chance” to save the domain before it’s registered by someone else. The scammer also urges you to pay immediately to renew the domain – often at a price considerably more expensive than your domain renewal likely will be.
Here’s the tricky part – domains can (and do!) expire. So how can you distinguish between a genuine notice and a fake phishing scam? Here are our eight tips to follow to avoid domain renewal scammers.
- Know who manages your domain. This way, you’ll know immediately if someone fraudulently claims to be your domain name provider. You can look it up if you don’t know where your domain is registered.
You can find your domain registrar’s name and contact information through ICANN lookup. Common registrars include GoDaddy, Network Solutions, Register.com, Hover, NameCheap, etc. If you’re still unsure, our team of support experts can always help you solve the mystery. - If you have multiple domains registered with numerous providers, we recommend consolidating them to ensure everything is centralized so you can easily stay on top of all the details.
- Read the letter carefully (really carefully). Often, it will include a phrase like, “This is not a bill,” “solicitation,” or “offer.”
THIS IS A SOLICITATION FOR THE ORDER OF GOODS OR SERVICES, OR BOTH, AND NOT A BILL, INVOICE, OR STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT DUE. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO MAKE ANY PAYMENTS ON ACCOUNT OF THIS OFFER UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER.
Example language found on a domain renewal solicitation
- Beware of clicking on links from emails like this or from email addresses you aren’t familiar with. You can always hover over a link to ensure it leads to the domain it says it will.
- Is it snail mail? Your real domain renewal notice will nearly always be emailed rather than snail-mailed.
- Google the company’s name + scam and see if anything comes up.
- Know when your domain expires. Typically, businesses register a domain for one to five years, so renewal periods are often predictable.
- File records and invoices for your domain so you can access them. If you lose control of your domain, you have lost a critical piece of your online presence.
Are Domain Renewal Scams Illegal?
Nope. It isn’t illegal to encourage website owners to transfer their domains. The sketchy part is the deceptive language used, tricking customers into accepting the offer. These companies are scraping domain information off the web and sending misleading letters to all domain owners in the hope that you’ll be fooled into paying them an inflated price for something they already own.
If you’re worried about your domain details or a scam slipping through the cracks, contact us; we’re here to help solve the mystery, no matter how big or small. Our support team takes the “support” part of their work seriously and can answer any questions. As always, we strive to go the extra mile for our clients; your success is ours.
