Its started...

Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc. wrote:
 > This morning I've been under a deluge of transfer requests for domains which
 > I am listed as admin/tech/billing contact. They are all coming from Domain
 > Registry of America. The same shady outfit that, a few years back, was
 > snail mailing what appeared to be invoices to domain registrants. Once a
 > registrant paid the "invoice", their domains were transferred to DROA.
 >
 > Anyone else getting hit with these???
 >
 > --Tina
 >

wow - I was hoping those guys had gone ... I hadn't seen anything from
them for a while ...<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

"Gerry W ( Use my name at dergal dot c o m for email "
<questions.TakeThisOut@exleaseit.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1t6md.15433$up1.10698@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
 > Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc. wrote:
  >> This morning I've been under a deluge of transfer requests for domains
  >> which I am listed as admin/tech/billing contact. They are all coming
  >> from Domain Registry of America. The same shady outfit that, a few years
  >> back, was snail mailing what appeared to be invoices to domain
  >> registrants. Once a registrant paid the "invoice", their domains were
  >> transferred to DROA.
  >>
  >> Anyone else getting hit with these???
  >>
  >> --Tina
  >>
 >
 > wow - I was hoping those guys had gone ... I hadn't seen anything from
 > them for a while ...

Here's the full text of what I've been sending to everyone I know:


Today, I've been hit with a deluge of transfer requests for various domain
names that I manage. Almost all of them are coming from the Domain Registry
of America.

I believe they are taking advantage of ICANN's new policy regarding domain
name transfer requests, as outlined in this article:

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2004/11/09/domain_transfers_and_hijackings_to_become_easier.html" target="_blank">http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2004/11/09/domain_transfers_and_hija...ngs_to_</a>

Basically, if you don't specifically say "no, don't transfer me!" - it will
automatically go through in 5 days.

1. Make absolutely sure that your correct email address is listed on your
domain name record. Don't assume you do and don't rely on someone else to do
it for you. CHECK IT NOW.

2. Make sure you reply to ANY transfer request you may get. Don't assume its
spam and don't ignore it!

3. Lock your domains. If you don't have access to do this, ask your
registrar to do it for you.

Please, everyone, be careful and be proactive when it comes to protecting
your domain name!

--Tina

--
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.AffordableHOST.com" target="_blank">http://www.AffordableHOST.com</a> - Managed, Dedicated and Colo Servers
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.AxisHost.com" target="_blank">http://www.AxisHost.com</a> - High bandwidth Cpanel Hosting Accounts
Datacenter located in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Serving the web since 1997<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 13:29:21 -0500, Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc.
<tina DeleteThis @affordablehost.com> wrote:

 > 3. Lock your domains. If you don't have access to do this, ask your
 > registrar to do it for you.

Tina, what's involved in locking the domain? I believe we are, but I'm not
certain exactly what "locking" really means, and I ought to verify this
anyhow.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

"Neal" <neal413 DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:opshismo1i6v6656@news.individual.net...
 > On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 13:29:21 -0500, Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc.
 > <tina DeleteThis @affordablehost.com> wrote:
 >
  >> 3. Lock your domains. If you don't have access to do this, ask your
  >> registrar to do it for you.
 >
 > Tina, what's involved in locking the domain? I believe we are, but I'm not
 > certain exactly what "locking" really means, and I ought to verify this
 > anyhow.

A domain name that is locked can't be transferred until it is unlocked. Its
a setting that, usually, your registration provider has to enable/disable
for you. Talk to them and make sure your domain is locked.

--Tina
--
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.AffordableHOST.com" target="_blank">http://www.AffordableHOST.com</a> - Managed, Dedicated and Colo Servers
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.AxisHost.com" target="_blank">http://www.AxisHost.com</a> - High bandwidth Cpanel Hosting Accounts
Datacenter located in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Serving the web since 1997<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 14:05:02 -0500, Neal <neal413.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:

 > On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 13:29:21 -0500, Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc.
 > <tina.DeleteThis@affordablehost.com> wrote:
 >
  >> 3. Lock your domains. If you don't have access to do this, ask your
  >> registrar to do it for you.
 >
 > Tina, what's involved in locking the domain? I believe we are, but I'm
 > not certain exactly what "locking" really means, and I ought to verify
 > this anyhow.

You can verify if you domain is locked by looking it up via whois.sc.

Just type in <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://whois.sc/example.com" target="_blank">http://whois.sc/example.com</a> where example.com is your domain.

You'll find the answer in the Status field. ACTIVE = unlocked.
REGISTRAR_LOCK or REGISTRANT_LOCK = locked.

Grey

--
The technical axiom that nothing is impossible sinisterly implies the
pitfall corollory that nothing is ridiculous.
- <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.greywyvern.com" target="_blank">http://www.greywyvern.com</a> - Orca Knowledgebase: Completely CSS styleable
Knowledgebase/FAQ system<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

Tina wrote:
 > "Neal" wrote
  >> Tina, what's involved in locking the domain?
 > A domain name that is locked can't be transferred until it is unlocked.
 > Its
 > a setting that, usually, your registration provider has to enable/disable
 > for you. Talk to them and make sure your domain is locked.

Just shot them an email.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

GreyWyvern wrote:

 > Just type in <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://whois.sc/example.com" target="_blank">http://whois.sc/example.com</a> where example.com is your
 > domain.
 >
 > You'll find the answer in the Status field. ACTIVE = unlocked.
 > REGISTRAR_LOCK or REGISTRANT_LOCK = locked.

Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED

That's good, right?<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 14:12:40 -0500, Neal <neal413 RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:

 > GreyWyvern wrote:
 >
  >> Just type in <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://whois.sc/example.com" target="_blank">http://whois.sc/example.com</a> where example.com is your
  >> domain.
 >
 > Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
 >
 > That's good, right?

AFAIK 'tis good.

Grey<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc. tina.DeleteThis@affordablehost.com wrote:
 >
 > 1. Make absolutely sure that your correct email address is listed on your
 > domain name record. Don't assume you do and don't rely on someone else to do
 > it for you. CHECK IT NOW.
 >

pretty much can't at present...all I've got is email via my domains. or
the email account on my only remaining ISP and that's inundated with
spam...takes about an hour to clear it enough to get at any genuine
emails and fills up again within four hours...I'm beginning to think I may
be going under within a month

--
eric
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.ericjarvis.co.uk" target="_blank">www.ericjarvis.co.uk</a>
"live fast, die only if strictly necessary"<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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"Eric Jarvis" <web.RemoveThis@ericjarvis.co.uk> wrote in message
news:MPG.1c03090a57595ca098d84c@news.individual.net...
 > Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc. tina.RemoveThis@affordablehost.com wrote:
  >>
  >> 1. Make absolutely sure that your correct email address is listed on your
  >> domain name record. Don't assume you do and don't rely on someone else to
  >> do
  >> it for you. CHECK IT NOW.
  >>
 >
 > pretty much can't at present...all I've got is email via my domains. or
 > the email account on my only remaining ISP and that's inundated with
 > spam...takes about an hour to clear it enough to get at any genuine
 > emails and fills up again within four hours...I'm beginning to think I may
 > be going under within a month


Alot of registrars offer an ID protection service. That is, the WHOIS will
not show your contact information...but you will still receive geniune
emails from the registrar. eNom offers this, as do we (as an eNom
affiliate) for $15 per year. A small price to pay to make sure you get
important notifications regarding your domain!

--Tina
--
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.AffordableHOST.com" target="_blank">http://www.AffordableHOST.com</a> - Managed, Dedicated and Colo Servers
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.AxisHost.com" target="_blank">http://www.AxisHost.com</a> - High bandwidth Cpanel Hosting Accounts
Datacenter located in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Serving the web since 1997<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

In article <1t6md.15433$up1.10698@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>,
questions RemoveThis @exleaseit.co.uk says...
 > Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc. wrote:
  > > This morning I've been under a deluge of transfer requests for domains which
  > > I am listed as admin/tech/billing contact. They are all coming from Domain
  > > Registry of America. The same shady outfit that, a few years back, was
  > > snail mailing what appeared to be invoices to domain registrants. Once a
  > > registrant paid the "invoice", their domains were transferred to DROA.
  > >
  > > Anyone else getting hit with these???
  > >
  > > --Tina
  > >
 >
 > wow - I was hoping those guys had gone ... I hadn't seen anything from
 > them for a while ...
 >
 >

I usually get a letter off them every few weeks advising and offering
their renewal services (it comes with an unstamped addressed envelope).

I fold the letter up neatly and post it back in said envelope (minus
stamp of course).<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc. wrote:
 > "Eric Jarvis" <web DeleteThis @ericjarvis.co.uk> wrote in message
 > news:MPG.1c03090a57595ca098d84c@news.individual.net...
 >
  >>Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc. tina DeleteThis @affordablehost.com wrote:

 > Alot of registrars offer an ID protection service. That is, the WHOIS will
 > not show your contact information...but you will still receive geniune
 > emails from the registrar. eNom offers this, as do we (as an eNom
 > affiliate) for $15 per year. A small price to pay to make sure you get
 > important notifications regarding your domain!


Sorry - but the things f'd up - you shouldn't have to pay ...

I am not criticising you, Tina, I just think the system is messed up, I
have had to black list all my domain name management email addresses ...
most I am not renewing myself, so someone else is managing them all ...

But ... I think that the internet should be such a great fun resource
for information, entertainment, communication etc... and spammers and
idiots are f'ing it all up for everyone!

Gerry<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Its started... 

Tina - AffordableHOST, Inc. wrote:
 > This morning I've been under a deluge of transfer requests for domains which
 > I am listed as admin/tech/billing contact. They are all coming from Domain
 > Registry of America. The same shady outfit that, a few years back, was
 > snail mailing what appeared to be invoices to domain registrants. Once a
 > registrant paid the "invoice", their domains were transferred to DROA.
 >
 > Anyone else getting hit with these???
 >
 > --Tina
 >

I have not gotten any yet, But I will email my customers and let them
know about it.

Bill
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.titannetworks.com" target="_blank">http://www.titannetworks.com</a>
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.linuslinux.com" target="_blank">http://www.linuslinux.com</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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