Domain Slam Scam Alert

          Registrar of Record: TUCOWS, INC
                 or 
          Created by Registrar: TUCOWS, INC

         In the above instances, the Registrar currently handling you domain name is Tucows.
                    If  the invoice you received by mail if from someone other that the indicated Registrar then it is most likely a scam!

 As you scroll down the screen you should also see something like:

          Registration Service Provider:
                 PageWeb.com Hosting Service  hostmaster@pageweb.com
                 000-000-0000
                 http://www.pageweb.com
          
                   The above indicates that your domain name is located within PageWeb.com's  registration system.
                   Renewal will be handled as outlined above for Hosted & Non-Hosted PageWeb.com customers.
                   As PageWeb.com does not send out domain renewals by regular mail, the invoice you receive via 
                   regular mail is indeed a scam and should be trashed!

Please feel free to contact our Tech Support if you are not sure or have any questions. We are here to help!

How the slam scam works

1. You receive a domain expiry notice in via postal mail. This bogus invoice lists your domain name(s) with an amount to be paid and a reply by date.
2. You or someone in your organization respond to the notice and send a payment by check or credit card.
3. No confirmation request email is sent to you to authorize the transfer.
4. A transfer request is submitted to the registry and the transfer process begins.

When you choose to transfer your domain name from one registrar to another, it is the responsibility of the gaining registrar, the company you are transferring to, to get the authorization of the domain owner before processing the transfer.

Normally, this confirmation is done by sending an email to the administrative contact listed in the current whois record for the domain.

Once you've sent a payment, unless your existing registrar is taking steps to prevent domains from transfer, your domain could complete the transfer without further confirmation or knowledge from you.

Once this happens, the only way to get your domain back with your current registrar is to transfer it back, and pay for an additional year's renewal.

What these "Renewals" could mean to you

If you renew your domain(s) by responding to one of these renewal notices, the following can happen:

1. You will likely pay too much for your renewal. You are likely already at a considerably lower rate with your existing registrar.
2. You could lose your customer service. Once your domain is transferred to another registrar, your current provider will not be able to provide customer support for your domain.

Who is running these "scams"?

Companies known to be sending out domain expiry notices for domains that were never registered with them include Verisign and Domain Registry of America / Domain Registry of Canada.

Verisign/NetworkSolutions

Network Solutions (recently purchased by Verisign) was once the only registrar for .com/.net/.org domains. Verisign is losing customers at an alarming rate, losing over 3 million domains over the first quarter of 2002!. Below is a renewal notice that was received by a client of pageweb.com for domains that were never registered with Verisign.

Click image for a detailed view.

Click image for a detailed view.

Click image for a detailed view. Click here for a printer friendly version.

Domain Registry of America/Canada

Previously calling themselves the "Internet Registry of America/Canada", the DRoA/C has already received negative press coverage for sending renewal notices that looked similar to a government notice. DRoA/C originally started in the domain registration business as a reseller of Tucows. Our sources tell us that they were kicked out of Tucows due to these questionable business practices. They are currently a reseller with Enom.

Click image for a detailed view.

Click image for a detailed view.

Click image for a detailed view.

Register.com

Late to the slamming game, looks like Register.com saved some R&D funds by basing their form on that from Verisign;)

Click image for a detailed view.

What we're doing

As of April 2002, we have locked all domain names within our system. Domain names will not be transferred to another registry unless our customer specifically request (in writing) that we do. This request must be received prior to initiating any transfer.

What you should do

If you've already sent a payment

If you have already sent money, we suggest you contact your bank or credit card company regarding your options of having payment stopped or reversed. If your domain is transferred away, we will not be able to manage your domain for you.

1. Get your money refunded. If you have paid by check, write to the company that you sent payment to demand a refund. If you paid by credit card and are unable to get a response regarding a refund, you can contact the issuing bank for your credit card to dispute the charge.

If you are a PageWeb.com customer and would like us to check the status of your domain, please use our Tech Support to do so. We'll be able to check the status of your domain and advise you.

A domain transfer cannot be completed unless the administrative contact for the domain confirms it. By default, we decline transfers to another registry unless our customer specifically request (in writing) that we do. This request must be received prior to initiating any transfer.

Filing a complaint online

	File a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (FBI) The Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). IFCC's mission is to address fraud committed over the Internet. For victims of Internet fraud, IFCC provides a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of a suspected criminal or civil violation.
	File a complaint with the Internic The InterNIC will accept complaints filed online. Please see this link to file a complaint online with the Internic. While they will not respond directly, they do monitor complaints filed online for patterns.
	Reporting mail fraud Please visit this page at the United States Postal Service for information regarding mail fraud. It's against the law to send mail that looks like an invoice and not have it marked clearly as a solicitation. Whether you're in the US or in Canada, if the "invoice" you received was from Verisign, you should consider reporting the incident to the USPS. If you would like to file a complaint with the USPS online, you can do so by following this link..
	Complaints in Canada To file a complain with the Competition Bureau of Canada, you may do so by fax at (819) 997-0324, or use their online form at http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/ct02107e.html. If you'd like to do this by mail, send this to: Competition Bureau of Canada Information Centre 50 Victoria Street Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0C9 Hours of Operation: Mon.- Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time Phone: (819) 997-4282 Toll free: 1-800-348-5358 TDD (hearing impaired) 1-800-642-3844 Facsimile: (819) 997-0324 compbureau@ic.gc.ca We're currently making inquiries regarding filing a complain with the Competition bureau of Canada. Updates will be posted here as soon as we've got them.
	Filing a complaint with the FTC You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade commission at FTC online complaint form.