Police warn on domain name letters

Domain expiration notices demand money for name renewal

Dinah Greek, vnunet.com 16 Jan 2004

Cambridgeshire Police has issued a warning about the sales tactics of another Cambridge-based domain name reseller.

The company is sending out unsolicited letters with the message: "Domain Expiration Notice. Do not ignore this letter.

"Please renew this domain immediately to ensure service continues uninterrupted. If payment is not made to the registry before the expiry date the domain is subject to immediate suspension and deletion without further notice."

The letter warns that unless a renewal fee of £60 or more is paid promptly, the registrants could lose ownership of their domain name.

Although unrenewed domains are suspended, the Cambridge-based company does not make clear that it is not the registry. It also does not mention that domain name holders will be notified by their original domain name reseller.

Police would not name the company. DC Jody Faro of Cambridgeshire Police said in a statement: "We would urge people not to send money to any company they are unsure about.

"If you have not had previous dealings with the company or do not think you owe them any money, please check before you send any money."

A copy of the letter has been passed to vnunet.com by a reader, which was sent out by a company called EU Registry Services. It asks for cheques to be sent to the company at Regent Street, Cambridge.

The Cambridgeshire Constabulary has received complaints about two other domain name resellers, Dot Com Avenue and Dot Biz Domain Renewal, which use the same address.

Another domain name seller using the same address, .eu Registry Services, was ordered by the Advertising Standards Agency last December to stop sending emails implying that it was accredited to offer .eu domain names.

vnunet.com attempted to contact the unnamed company via a telephone number listed on the letter, but has received no reply to its invitation for comment.

DC Faro added: "We would like to speak to anyone who has received one of these letters in the last few weeks."

Anyone who may have received one of these letters or has any information should contact DC Faro at Cambridgeshire Constabulary on 01480 456111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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