BEWARE of iDNS or Internet Domain Name Services it is a SCAM

Over the years I have lost track of the times I have seen this letter. I have gotten panicked and confused phone calls, emails and some people that actually snail mailed me this letter or one similar to it in fear of losing their domain.

With the bold letters in the upper right hand corner “Domain Name Expiration Notice” small business owners and sometimes large companies are often frightened if they do not immediately send money to Internet Domain Name Services (iDNS) that they will lose their domain name or web address.

If that is not enough iDNS goes on to say

“You must renew your domain name to retain exclusive rights to it on the Web, and now is the time to transfer and renew your name from your current Registrar to Internet Domain Name Services. Failure to renew your domain name by the expiration date may result in a loss of your online identity making it difficult for your customers and friends to locate you on the Web.”

But if you read it carefully you will also note statements such as “When you switch today” or “You are under no obligation to pay the amounts stated below, unless you accept this offer. This notice is not a bill, it is rather an easy means of payment should you decide to switch your domain name registration to Internet Domain Name Services.”

So which is it: do I have to switch to them or lose my domain???????

This is always the question I get and the answers is NO! You do not have to switch. No you will not lose your domain without notice. Whomever you originally paid when you purchased your domain whether it was goDaddy, FatCow, Register, etc will contact you! Trust me, if you let it expire they don’t get paid so they WILL contact you!

So why is Internet Domain Name Services (iDNS) worth my concern?

Their pricing! A yearly domain name should be in the $15 MAX $20 a year range. NOTE iDNS tries to charge two to three times that! Plus, once you are with a domain company if you decide to switch to someone else there is a fee, normally around $40 - $75 give or take. So if their domains are two to three times the cost it only stands to reason to leave them will be two to three times the cost, if not more!

Not reason enough?

Than look at their web address www.idns.ae. Note the .ae NOT a .com so what does .ae mean? It is a special designation for the United Arab Emirates. Who is the United Arab Emirates? They are a monarchy in Western Asia. Do I need to say more?

So what do YOU do if you get this letter?

Shred it! Burn it! Have some fun thinking of ways to recycle it, but DON’T answer it!