Q and A: Is it necessary to renew your domain name?

Dear Kalena...

I just got a letter from the Domain Registry of America asking me to renew my domain name. Must one renew one's domain name at all? If so, does one do it with theses guys? I am very noobish in this respect, but I would not want to lose my domain name. I just need to know what to do to maintain my domain name. Any help appreciated.

Thank you for the information thus far.

Rudy

Kalena's Answer:

Dear Rudy

If you want to keep using your domain name, then yes, you will need to renew it. Best option is to renew it via the registrar that you bought it from. Do you still have the information sent to you when you bought the domain? Your domain confirmation email should have included login details for your registrar. Do you remember how many years you bought the domain for? Most registrars will send you a renewal notice automatically to remind you when your domain name is coming up for renewal. For this reason, you should keep the email address associated with your domain up to date.

From what I understand, Domain Registry of America (DROA) obtain access to domain renewal dates from public WhoIs lookups and send unsolicited "renewal notices" to domain owners inviting them to transfer and renew their domains with DROA instead of the owner's original domain registrar. This is likely what you have received from them. You are welcome to transfer your domain to DROA, but you will more than likely pay more this way than renewing it with your existing registrar. Read the (very) fine print on the back of the DROA letter carefully before you renew. You might also want to read my other posts about DROA.

If you no longer wish to receive letters from domain registrars you have no existing relationship with, your best bet is to pay the small fee to keep your WhoIs details private. Your existing registrar can advise you on this.


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Domain Registry of America Don't Like My Google Rank For Their Name

Domain Registry of America are not happy with me. But the feeling's mutual. They emailed me earlier this year when they discovered that one or two of my blog posts were ranking in Google's top 10 SERPs for their name:

"It has been brought to our attention that you published or caused to be published an internet bulletin containing words that are false, misleading and defamatory to our firm. Your publication has caused and continues to cause Domain Registry of America irreparable damages and we intend to hold you responsible for these damages both past and present. You are hereby notified that we demand these false, misleading and defamatory statements mentioned above that you have published or have caused to be published be removed by no later than 15 days of your receipt of this notice.

If we do not receive written notification that these publications have been removed by the above deadline we will without further warning, advise our lawyers to commence a lawsuit in an Ontario court for damages and a permanent and interlocutory injunction restraining you, your employees, agents and representatives from making and publishing such publications."

Um hello? Ever heard of Freedom of Speech? Before you sue me, you might want to read the thousand other bloggers bitching about you on the net. Most are much more vicious than me.

My hate/hate relationship with Domain Registry of America goes way back to when they first sent me a junk "domain name expiration notice" in 2003 for a domain I didn't even own. I binned it. Then in 2004, I got another letter regarding a domain I DID own. In my opinion, the letter was very misleading and I remember thinking that if I was unfamiliar with my domain registration details, that I may have fallen for their tactics and renewed it through them by mistake, instead of my existing registrar. I wondered how many others had done just that.

I conducted some research on DROA and learned some interesting facts:

1) In December 2003, the Federal Trade Commission found that Domain Registry of America violated the FTC Act by misleading consumers in the marketing of Internet domain name services.

2) The same month, the FTC requested that a Federal district court issue an order requiring the Domain Registry of America pay redress to 50,000 consumers.

3) Despite being prohibited by the FTC from engaging in similar conduct, it appears to be business as usual at Domain Registry of America.

4) DROA allegedly operate under various names, including The Domain Registry of America, Domain Registry of Europe and EU Registry Services.

5) DROA apparently have offices worldwide, with letters received from DROA addresses in the UK, Europe, Australia and the US.

6) A lot of registrars have issued warning messages about Domain Registry of America letters on their web sites.

7) There are a lot of consumers who believe they have been duped by DROA into renewing their domains and they are complaining online.

Now I was willing to leave Domain Registry of America well enough alone, despite their threatening email, but today I received in the post YET ANOTHER of their annoying expiration notices for one of my domains. I could wallpaper my office with these things!

Today's letter has the same potentially misleading wording that I've complained about before, but I have to concede that at least it makes it clearer than it used to that the domain transfer is optional. This one still has the world's smallest small print on the back. I honestly had to borrow my son's magnifying glass to read it. Turns out it's DROA's Registration Agreement. Here are some classic extracts:

"FAILED TRANSFER POLICY: Payments received by DROA for transfers/ renewals are done on our best effort basis. While DROA guarantees it will issue the transfer/renewal request from the existing registrar of the domain name, DROA cannot guarantee that the existing registrar will consent to the transfer/renewal."

Of course they can't. Any registrar worth their salt will likely be suspicious of a DROA transfer application and contact the domain owner directly.

"FEES: As consideration for the Service(s), renewal of the Service(s), and, if you select it, automatic renewal of the Service(s), you agree to pay, prior to the effectiveness of the desired Service(s), the applicable Service(s) fees. All fees are non-refundable, in whole or in part, even if your domain name registration is suspended, cancelled or transferred prior to the end of your then current registration term, unless this Agreement specifically provides for a refund. At our option, we may require that you pay fees through a particular payment means (such as by credit card or by wire transfer) or that you change from one payment provider to another."

So you pay up front for a service you may not ever receive? What a bargain!

"CREDIT CARD AND OTHER CHARGES: In the event of a charge back by a credit card company (or similar action by another payment provider allowed by us) in connection with your payment of fees for any Service(s), you agree that we may suspend access to any and all accounts you have with us and that all rights to and interest in and use of any domain registration(s) services, website hosting, and/or email services, including all data hosted on our systems shall be assumed by us, as the case may be. We will reinstate your rights to and control over these Services solely at our discretion, and subject to our receipt of the unpaid fee(s) and our then-current reinstatement fee, currently set at $200 US Dollars."

Right. I'm no lawyer, but my understanding of this one is that if you dare to cancel your order, DROA can take possession of your entire domain and it's content until you pay them a ransom of $200. Charming.

But my personal favorite is this one:

"IF LAWSUIT(S) ARE THREATENED: If we are sued or threatened with lawsuits in connection with Service(s) provided to you, we may turn to you to indemnify us and to hold us harmless from the claims and expenses (including attorney's fees and court costs). Under such circumstances, you agree that you will, upon demand, obtain a performance bond with a reputable bonding company or, if you are unable to obtain a performance bond, that you will deposit money with us to pay for our reasonably anticipated expenses in relation to the matter for the coming year."

So if you want to sue them, you have to cover their legal costs? A year in advance? You've got to be kidding me. I was going to bin the letter but I've decided to frame it and hang it in my office. I'll read it on days when I need a good laugh.

If Domain Registry of America really want me to stop blogging about them and beating them in the SERPS, they should stop sending me junk mail.


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Domain Registry of America Alive and Well

Heads up people. Those pesky people at the Domain Registry of America are at it again. I've discussed them before, but if you aren't familiar with them, I encourage you to read this post.

I received two letters from them today, urging me to transfer domains from my current registrar to their bogus service. This time the name on the envelope said Registration Services Incorporated and had a U.S. Postage Paid address from New York on it. But the reply paid envelope displayed Domain Registry of America and that same Queen Street, Melbourne address that was on their last letters I binned.

If you receive one of their letters or emails, read it VERY carefully - Domain Registry of America are trying to convince you into transferring your domain to them by using threatening language and misleading information. If you use magnifying glass to read all the fine print on the back of their letters (I'm not kidding, it is that small), the alarm bells will ring. Here's an extract:

"You agree that you may not transfer your domain name registration to another domain name registrar during the first sixty (60) days from the effective date of your initial domain name registration with DRoA. You agree to provide written, signed authorization to DRoA for the transfer of the domain name to another registrar and agree to pay any and all fees that may be charged by DRoA to effect the transfer. Your request to transfer to another registrar may be denied in situations described in the Dispute Policy..."

"You agree, during the period of this Agreement, that we may (1) revised the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and (2) change the services provided under this Agreement. Any such revision or change will be binding and effective immediately on posting of the revised Agreement or change to the service(s) on DRoA's web site, or on notification to you by e-mail or Canadian mail. You agree to review DRoA's web site, including the Agreement, periodically to be aware of any such revisions."

This reads to me that f you mistakenly fall for their letter and sign up for their service, you are stuck with it for 60 days, must pay any transfer costs back to your own registrar and could end up paying for services you didn't agree to.

If you are US-based and receive one of their letters and it is unwanted, please file a complaint with the FTC and call or email Domain Registry of America directly and request to be taken off their mailing lists.

Domain Registry of America is at it Again!

Some people just won't be told. After being taken to court and rapped over the knuckles by the Federal Trade Commission for misleading consumers, the Domain Registry of America (DROA) is back to their old tricks and mailing out confusing letters to domain holders advising their domain registrations are expiring, leading many consumers to unwillingly switch their domain name registrar and usually pay a higher price in the process. You can read more on the situation here and here.

In December 2003, the Federal Trade Commission requested that a federal district court instruct the Internet domain name reseller from making misrepresentations in the marketing of its domain name registration services. But that apparently didn't stop them.

I had thought I'd seen the last of Domain Registry of America, but I got another of their misleading letters today. Here are some priceless extracts from the letter:

"As a courtesy to domain name holders, we are sending you this notification of the domain name registration that is due to expire in the next few months..."

"You must renew your domain name to retain exclusive rights to it on the Web, and now is the time to transfer and renew your name from your current Registrar to the Domain Registry of America. Failure to renew your domain name by the expiration date may result in a loss of your online identity making it difficult for your customers and friends to locate you on the Web".

The cheek of them using such misleading and threatening verbage. And my domain doesn't even expire till November! Some people call this type of approach a scam. DROA have written to me claiming that they resent being called "scammers". What a shame. I resent receiving their letters but they don't stop sending them.

Don't be fooled people. If you get a letter or email from the people at Domain Registry of America, file it where it belongs - in the bin. You can also file a complaint with the FTC and call or email Domain Registry of America directly and request to be taken off their mailing lists.

You can also protect your address from being collected by using the privacy features most registrars now offer domain holders, although there is usually a charge to keep your details private. Sad but true.