BBB Warns Businesses of Domain Slamming Emails

Your BBB is a resource for new scams entering the local marketplace, and would like to share some information regarding a scam that has entered our area.

A few of BBB’s Accredited Businesses have received notices from Internet Domain Name Services (IDNS) about renewing their domain for two-year contracts at a small price of $40 a year.

The scammer sends what appears to be an invoice in the mail that contains information about your website, including a date when the registration will expire. The business name on the invoice is different from your actual registrar, and will likely be unfamiliar to you. The letter requests a payment by credit card and a valid email address.

The scam is something called Domain Slamming - a trick to get businesses to transfer their website domain registration to another business.

According to BBB records, this exact text of the letter can be found online as early as 2005 or before, for IDNS and other businesses, and it copies the first paragraph precisely:

“As a courtesy to domain name holders, we are sending you this reminder that your domain name registration is due to expire in the next few months. When you switch today to IDNS, you can take advantage of our best savings. Your registration for: yourdomainname.com.au will expire on xxx xx, xxxx Act today!"

BBB is cautioning businesses against paying this illegitimate invoice. If you have questions about whether or not you do owe your legitimate domain registrar, please contact BBB directly.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your Business Relations Team at 508-652-4888.

For more information you can trust, visit us at bbb.org/boston, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.