Open Season on Domain Name Holders

One of the most common questions I get from customers is: "I got this letter from such and such a company, saying that my domain name will expire if I don't renew with them. What do I do?"

Be aware that there are unscrupulous companies out there who send baiting letters trying to get you to "renew" with them, when in fact they don't hold your domain in the first place. Domain names are public records, so what they do is scour the databases and send letters to everyone. Some people bite, send them a check, and before you know it you've signed on with some fly-by-night registrar. It's kind of like phone service slamming.

One problem with that is that when you transfer registrars, all the settings that make your domain name point to your site and email may disappear, until they're re-established in the new registrar's system. Another problem is that any company that would use the equivalent of long-distance slamming techniques would probably also sell all your information to mass marketers.

Although a few customers use Verisign / Network Solutions, most of my customers use Register.com because at the time, their good customer service, security, and excellent technical setup was unrivaled. Lately, however, I've been switching domains over to GoDaddy because it's a LOT cheaper. I just can't see spending any extra money anymore for something you configure once and then never bother with again (until renewal, that is).

Anyway, bottom line: when it comes to renewals, you should only be acting on communications from either me or one of the three major registrars mentioned above. Especially watch out for "Domain Registry of America."