SCAM: European Domain Registry

**devolution** · 07-12-2002, 05:36 AM

It's enough to drive you mad!!

I've just received two letters this morning from 'European Domain Registry'.
It looks like they are harvesting OpenSRS Whois for domains that are expiring in a few months, and tricking people into renewing their domains with them.

This isn't new, but it's the first time I've seen a BRITISH based company doing this.
In fact, in the UK, this sort of unsolicited communication is against the law, especially as it tricks gullible people into thinking they will have to renew their domain with these crooks.

07-12-2002, 05:47 AM

Report it to your local trading standards office.

They'd fined companies for this sort of thing in the past.

**devolution** · 07-12-2002, 05:55 AM

You know, I thought of that just after finishing reading the letter, but then I realised that they aren't going to have many (or anybody) that understands domain names at Trading Standards.

Originally posted by safesys
Report it to your local trading standards office.

They'd fined companies for this sort of thing in the past.

07-12-2002, 05:56 AM

They may not understand domain names, but they sure understand crooked marketing

**Whois-Search** · 07-12-2002, 06:53 PM

Yes I have had a Letter from www.droe.com today as well

07-12-2002, 07:24 PM

Those of you in the UK, PLEASE respond to these by contacting your law enforcement agencies. These guys are really annoying.

I don't mind competition, but ads that prey on people's ignorance really burn me.

-t

**Whois-Search** · 07-12-2002, 07:26 PM

Better still droe.com is registered with Enom

Everyone contact enom ( like I have just done )

and tell them to FREEZE the domain

**Whois-Search** · 07-12-2002, 07:36 PM

Michelle Grisim, Client Services - Enom says :

"I'm sending this to our director of compliance to look into..."

07-12-2002, 09:55 PM

This has been reported to eNom more than once. If you have a relationship with them, reporting it again would not be a bad thing.

I'm not so sure they will find anything wrong with this however, as other resellers of their have been doing similar things through many complaints.

These letters are not illegal - at least not in the US - since they do contain language that says that the letter is not a bill. They are misleading however.

-t

blueberrydomain · 07-16-2002, 08:49 AM

... this letter from droe.com.

All I can say is that it is fraud. They want me to fill in the creditcard-number and there is not a word of registrar-transfer. (the domain is not at Enom today)

For a beginner it looks like an invoice and I think many reacts to it as they have to pay even if it says in bold "this notice is not a bill"

/Blueberry

**Whois-Search** · 07-17-2002, 08:02 PM

Droe Speak :

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/26239.html

**Bob** · 07-17-2002, 08:14 PM

Comically enough, I received two snail mails from these clowns today. They wanted me to transfer two names that are up for renewal in October. Their is a lot WRONG with their wording. it si comical. They try to get you to renew at $25 per year. To quote them:

". . . This allows you to register or renew your domain name at a lower price than most other Registrars. . . "

At $25? HowFunny(.com - I sold howfunny.com

I can only think of **TWO** registrars that charge more - NotWorkSolutions and Register.com.

Anyway, I emailed them back (support@droa.com) and laughed in their face. heh heh.

-Bob

07-17-2002, 09:31 PM

Originally posted by Bob

...
I can only think of **TWO** registrars that charge more - NotWorkSolutions and Register.com.

...
-Bob

@ Bob for "NotWorkSolutions"

**Whois-Search** · 07-18-2002, 10:23 AM

LOL too funny guys

DROE are even more stupid for sueing Tucows

http://comingsoon.tucows.com/.court_case//index.html

**devolution** · 07-19-2002, 12:24 PM

Here is a scan of one of the letters I received (uploaded for posterity):

http://www.synuk.com/a/x/droecon.jpg

**play** · 07-27-2002, 06:12 PM

droa.com

Does the same

Power to Devolution..

**Whois-Search** · 07-28-2002, 10:58 AM

My Local Trading Standards Office have asked me to send the letter and I have done.

> Dear Andrew
>
> Thanks for this information - very interesting!
>
> I would still be grateful if you would fax a copy of the letter to me. I
> can then refer the matter to the
> Office of Fair Trading who deal with allegations of frauds emanating from
> abroad.
>
> Thanks again
>
> > > Ian Howarth
> > > Senior Trading Standards Officer