UK: Domain Registrants Beware

Yes, there is another company out there trying to take more of your hard earned cash from you than you need to spend.

I recently received some letters from a company called The Domain Registry of Europe, informing me that some of my domain names were due for renewal within the next three months, and that I should "Renew today to avoid being forced to pay higher prices."

Although the letter/statement says that, "This is not a bill." It goes on to state that the current domain name must be renewed, with other domain name extensions as optional.

The correspondence is probably not illegal, but the way in which it is presented is certainly not very ethical.

The company go to great lengths to hide their true identity. The letter was sent from Key Mail, B/141, 1934 Brussels X Airport, Belgium. The company is listed as The Domain Registry of Europe, 56 Gloucester Road, Suite 526, London , England. However, the main telephone number is +1 905 479-2977. This turns out to be Osiris Productions, 7225 Woodbine Avenue, Markham, Ontario, Canada.

A WHOIS search of droe.com again shows a London address with Canadian phone and fax numbers.

After more searching, it turns out that we eventually have the Canadian Domain Name Registry, 393 University Avenue, Toronto, Canada. They are obviously taking information from the WHOIS database, and using it to mail shot as many Domain Name holders as they can in the hope of getting them to change registrars without realising it.

I will stay with the registrars that I have chosen, and hope that other people will do the same, and not be intimidated into doing otherwise.