Website Owners Beware! A small nonprofit was recently fleeced of nearly $300 by an unscrupulous company purposefully looking to confuse and scam website owners.
Background on Domains
When a website is created, at least two services are needed in addition to creating the website files – a host comany to serve the website files on the internet and an address, also called a domain name, at which the files will reside and be found. For example, our domain name is SkipjackWeb.com.
Often, small businesses have two different companies providing these services because they reserve their domain name before someone else snatches it up. Deciding on a host company, however, may take more time and after researching, they pick a different company than their domain registrar. Given that small business and organizations don’t always understand the ins and outs of creating a website, they often rely on a website developer like Skipjack Web to handle those details. Yet, because their names are on the host account, they are the ones to receive the bills and mail related to the site. This is where the scam company has their opportunity.
The Scam
Multiple companies that use the same method to fleece unsuspecting website owners. Letters are sent to website owners that make it seem that they hold the client’s domain registry and it’s time to renew. The letter gives the recipient the feeling that if they don’t renew soon they will lose their domain name. In fact, they are not website’s domain register but because it seems official and they are afraid to lose their domain name, they pay the bill. Turns out, the real domain registrar account is paid in full and not ready for renewal. These two companies simply take the money and run.
Protect Yourself
The best way to protect yourself is simply to know the name of your real domain registrar. If the letter isn’t from them, it’s likely a scam. Most host companies and domain registrars handle their renewals online – not through a paper letter/bill. If you are a Skipjack customer and you aren’t sure if the letter is legit, please ask us. We keep records and can help you figure out what is a legitimate bill.
