Buyer Beware: Domain Registry of America
This article was originally written for ArrowQuick Solutions, a technology consultancy for small businesses.
Sample DROA letter. Click for full size.
If you have a website, chances are you have received a letter from the Domain Registry of America. With terms like “America” and “Domain Name Expiration Notice”, it looks very official, and uses vague language that suggests you should pay them so your domain name does not expire.
If you read the fine print though, you will see the phrase “This notice is not a bill….” It is, in fact, a solicitation to move your domains to their company.
This is actually a bulk marketing campaign. The DROA sends these letters to everyone in hopes that casual readers accidentally transfer their domain to them. Apparently it works, because they have been doing it for many years now.
The DROA makes it very easy to transfer to them. Unwary domain holders may be charged higher prices and may not receive the level of customer service they would expect. Plus, there is a potential risk of giving your credit card number to an unfamiliar company.
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