3 ms·
I have a few domains without private registration. I often get an email a few months before they're due to expire from a business that will renew them. It's ver
by iamben 7y ago
I have a few domains without private registration. I often get an email a few months before they're due to expire from a business that will renew them. It's very strongly worded about how I'm about to "lose them", lots of capital letters and lots of red text. The cost to renew is $90 or so.
I've often wondered how many people fall for it (I assume enough they keep doing it), and whether they actually renew them, or just take some money and run.
- bt3 7y agoThrough the years I've bought domains for hobby projects and such that ultimately I'll let expire. Usually after receiving tons of emails, such as you've described, it's followed by a "we now own your domain, pay up" threat. I've even had firms purchase other extensions for my domain (particularly a .org, .net, or .co), then email me asking to buy it from them. I usually respond and tell them I'm selling the .com domain myself and they can purchase it directly from me for half of the price they're offering to sell me the other extensions. No one has ever taken me up on my offer.
- _jal 7y agoBe careful making flip counteroffers like that, if you actually do care about the domains at all. Offering to sell can be twisted into "extortion" in a UDRP proceeding if you're not careful. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Domain-Name_Dispute-Resolution_Policy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Domain-Name_Dispute-Re...
- bt3 7y agoA fair warning. Wouldn't any engaged legal group understand that if I had registered the .com first, then a company was offering to sell me a .org, etc. after my purchase, that is more extortionist than me trying to recoup the registration fees of a domain name I no longer need? Agree if I want to keep the domain, I'd be careful not to lead anyone on - scammer or otherwise.
- _jal 7y agoI'm no URDP expert; I've been peripherally involved a couple times. By impression of the process is that, like most processes of this sort, outcomes can depend heavily on getting good representation. Even if you think something makes obvious sense.
- _jal 7y agoThe main target is small business accountants. If you're a little sloppy in your approval procedures, stuff like this, priced just below common thresholds, can slide right through. Closely related to fake invoicing, which actually is considered criminal.