Domain scam

So I promised to write about the scam I actually was hoodwinked for 20 seconds. This one is fairly sophisticated.

I recently received a letter from Domain Name Registry saying that ultimatesigh.com was up for renewal at the end of the year and that I should send payment details in the included return envelope to ensure noone else gets it.

Wow

I thought,

a year really went fast.

I actually considered plonking money into the envelope for a second.  Then I had a good look at the price.  It was $45 to renew for one year.

WTF

I thought. I had registered with My Domain for $10 and I thought the renewal was just another 10.  For a split second I thought the letter was from My Domain.  Then I realised the name was different and return address was in Aust.  Turns out the company is called MelbourneIT and apparently they must trawl through domain registers looking for Aust domain owners.  They then send an official looking letter asking for a fairly large sum to shift the registry to them and to re-register your domain through them.  Their date for ultimatesigh’s expiry is like 4 months early too, probably to scare you even more.  I think quite a few unwitting domain owners may fall for this trick. Sneaky but profitable business they’ve got.  🙁

So in the end sigh is still here.