SCAM! Domain Registry of America
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Since 2002 we are hearing from customers who have received a letter from ‘Domain Registry of America’ (DROA), urging them to pay for renewing their domain name.

The letter, often with a London address on the back, looks like a bill or invoice and scares the reader with either “Your registration will expire on September 16th, 2002 (or whatever the date is). Act today!” or "Your domain will expire shortly". They also try tricks such as 'IMPORTANT NOTICE' act quickly to avoid 'Register Lock' or 'Loss of your online identity.' The company also warns people that if they 'lose their domain name' it may be impossible for them to get it back.

As you can imagine this leads people to switch their domain name registrar!

There is no need for you to renew. Web Merchant Services will either contact you direct, or you will receive a notification letter from our hosting company, DataGate. However we can see why this trick works with people who don't know how DNS works, or in accounting departments of companies. The reason they know when the domain is due to expire is because they simply do a WHOIS search on your domain. This search, which anyone can do, provides your domain, registered address and the all important expiry date! Please destroy, shred, set fire to or bin this letter.

Amongst other names they have used included: "Domain Registry Services", "Registration Services Incorporated" and "Domain Registry of Europe" and "Domain Registry of America", "Yellowbusiness.ca", "Internet Registry of Canada", "Domain Registry of Canada", "Domain Registry of Australia".

SCAM! Domain Support Group

Another Scam has come to our attention involving domain names which is being played on our customers. This time the scam involves a call from a company claiming to be "Domain Support Group." They say they are a "transfer notification agent" and they have information about your domain names. They then try to trick you into giving them your credit or debit card details or registering more domain names with them.

Apparently this scam originated from America but is now over here.

Web Merchant Services will either contact you direct, or you will receive a notification letter from our hosting company, DataGate.