Domain Registry of America

Have we been scammed and what can we do?

[HelenDev]

A colleague at work had a domain registered with a company. They then were contacted by another company - the Domain Registry of America - and someone filled in the form along with their credit card details and mailed it back.

They are now being charged by both (considerably more by the DRoA I think), and can't get any sense on the phone from their original hosting company.

Can anyone shed light on what has happened here? Have they been scammed - the stuff I have read on the internet would suggest this? Who now is the domain registrar? And how can they stop being charged by DRoA?

[tangor]

Off the top, chargeback the second charge. The first should still be in force. HOWEVER, check to see if there is a TRANSFER of domain involved, in which case move cautiously to avoid any downtime.

[HelenDev]

Thanks for the reply. How do we check to see if the domain is/has been transferred? I have (thankfully!) not really been involved in this, they just showed me a pile of papers and invoices.

[kaled]

Check the whois information. My guess is the domain name wasn't moved - in this case, simply tell the Domain Registry of America to take a hike (but don't be that polite!).

I would also look at the original letter they sent out (if available) and if there is anything untrue or deceptive in it I would kick up a stink with the credit card company for facilitating a fraud.

Kaled.

[mack]

I find the Domain Registry of America to be a very deceptive company when you read the letters they send out. Obviously they are trying to sell a service (move your domain to them) but they make it sound as if they are the domain industry regulator and you need to pay them for the domain.

Their letters always come across as if they are bills.

Mack.

[piatkow]

This isn't the first time that I have seen this company mentioned in a forum under these circumstances.

[HelenDev]

Cheers guys. Checked whois, and it looks like the domain is still with the original company. I have advised my colleague to stop the payments ASAP and possibly take the matter up with trading standards.

Their letters always come across as if they are bills.

This is exactly what's happened, and it's so easy for someone within a company just to 'pay it' without realising, especially when it's for a relatively small amount.

[HelenDev]

This isn't the first time that I have seen this company mentioned in a forum under these circumstances.

Yeah, the first thing I did when I was told about this was Google the company name, and apart from their official site which comes up first, the other results are all scam, fraud, scam! That's when the alarm bells starting ringing.

[sonjay]

It wouldn't hurt to make sure the domain is "locked" at the current registrar, so that if DRA does try to transfer it, the transfer couldn't proceed without the approval of your colleague (or whoever the domain is registered to).

[pageoneresults]

This has been ongoing for years. Domain Registry of America is just one of many who pull this tactic and it works. It is a numbers game and they scrape the Whois databases and do bulk snail mail campaigns that cost very little based on the sheer volume. There has to be an ROI or they would not continue to do it.

I have one that I just received not long ago from LibertyNames of America, another deceptive advertising scheme.

Many consumers have fallen prey to this scheme and we can only hope that somewhere along the line a Government agency will intervene, it happens when they get really out of hand and someone contacts their State Attorney General (AG) or some other person/org with clout.

[csingsaas]

I am familiar with this company - I see faxes come across quite often where they send you promotional offers that are cleverly designed to look like an invoice. If you are not paying close attention, you would certainly think it is an invoice for existing service - not a solicitation. In my opinion, you should notify the Attorney General's office in your state.

[HelenDev]

It wouldn't hurt to make sure the domain is "locked" at the current registrar

Thanks, have checked and it is locked.

In my opinion, you should notify the Attorney General's office in your state.

Thanks csingsaas but we are in the UK. I have advised them to contact Trading Standards, which I think would be our equivalent, and whom I think will already be familiar with this company!

[creative craig]

I used to regularly get letters from them - first class scammers! The small print gives the game away.

[kaled]

A complaint should also be raised with Visa, etc. The best way to put them out of business is by getting them blacklisted so that they can't accept payment by plastic card.

Since you are in the UK, maybe contact BBC TV "Watchdog" program - they might be interested although they mostly deal with consumer issues.

Kaled.

[pageoneresults]

There are two different schemes at play here; The Domain Scheme and the Search Engine Promotion Scheme. Both are based on the same snail mail model.

It sounds like the OP got caught up in the "Annual Search Engine Submission Package" which doesn't effect domain registry.

Here's the kicker. The company is probably doing search engine submissions as they claim which probably covers them from a variety of legal standpoints. But, if someone can prove to a court that the search engine submissions and/or promotions have no value, that would probably be another story. Note the term probably used judiciously in the previous sentences. ;)

[Webwork]

Alrighty . .

I'm a bit surprised DRA is still doing business as DRA . . but . . well . . there's all the effort that DRA put into building their brand and customer loyalty . . :P

Since we've covered this issue - DRA [google.com] - several times in the past I was on the fence about allowing the thread to go forward. However, the fact that some folks are still confused by certain practices justified revisiting the issues - briefly.

At this point, having once again raised public awareness about the potentially confusing practices of non-registrant registrars soliciting domain name renewals/transfers by mail, I'm going to retire the thread.

Thank you all for your contributions. This thread is now being locked.