So I got a letter in the mail…

… from the Domain Registry of America. Here’s the gist of the letter:

• I have a domain name expiring within a few months
• I should transfer registration of the domain name to DRoA and renew through them

Here’s a scan of the letter (click for bigger):

The letter itself seemed kind of shady and after Googling the company, I’m pretty annoyed with their “marketing” tactics:

• The letter has a large heading in the top right that says “Domain Name Expiration Notice”. While I suppose the letter is, in a sense, a notice that I have a domain name that expires (fairly) soon, it’s misleading because it implies the company has some sort of authority on what will happen with my domain name and that I should take immediate action with them.
• The bottom third of the letter is a detachable payment form where I can fill in my credit card info and a couple other things and (I guess) automatically transfer/renew the domain name with DRoA. Again, it appears misleading because it looks like a bill. They do note (in the middle of the letter) that “This notice is not a bill” but the letter seems to be formatted to take advantage of people who scan and act immediately.
• Wikipedia mentions that the company is located in Canada but has a mailing address in Buffalo, NY. Not a problem, but odd for a company called “Domain Registry of America” and the separate mailing address gives off bad vibes.
• Wikipedia also says the following [quoted directly from the article]: “In 2003, the Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with the company for practices such as transferring domain registrations to their service under the guise of domain renewal, a practice known as domain slamming, and having hidden fees. Despite this action, the company still sends mass direct mail to consumers resembling invoices with ‘domain name expiration notice’ in bold print.”
• One more Wikipedia quote: “They have also now (Aug 2009) started emailing potential customers with an email scam, purporting to indicate that the transfer of a domain is ‘not complete at this time’, and requesting the domain owner follows a series of steps to complete the transfer to DRoA. These are highly misleading emails.”
• They charge $30 to register a domain name for one year. Many companies charge 1/3 to 1/2 that price, including my current registrar.

So… what to do?

• Note, I’m not calling this a “scam” though that word has been used by others in connection with this service. However (even without any research), I would guess that they actually provide the service they advertise.
• If you get a letter or email from this company or another, remember where you’ve registered your domain name and who you SHOULD be receiving notices & bills from.
• Read the letter carefully.
• Rather than renewing your domain name by clicking links in your email, instead use your browser and go directly to the site where you registered the domain.
• It is OK to transfer a domain name if you want, there’s no problem with that. There are many other registrars that do a good job and are competitively priced. And that don’t spam people with misleading letters.

In defense of the DRoA, I would imagine it’s tough to market domain registration services in a way that’s interesting and creative .