A domain name is essentially a signpost on the Internet. Almost every website you've ever been to, and every email you've ever composed, has used a domain name in its address. For example, my primary domain name is “dellea.biz”. A domain name registrar is a company authorized to receive domain name registration requests, approve registrations and initiate propagation of registration information throughout the Internet.

There are probably thousands of domain name registrars around the world. One of the most infamous domain name registrars is DRoA, also known as Domain Registry of America. DRoA is particularly famous for misleading consumers, those who own web sites and need to periodically re-register their domain names.

DRoA is sneaky and under-handed. What they do is they monitor the expiration dates of all of the domain names that you own, and when your domain comes within 2-3 months of expiring, they quickly generate a letter and send it out to you via snail mail. In short, this letter starts out by saying “As a courtesy to domain name holders, we are sending you this notification of the domain name registration that is due to expire in the next few months…” and the top of the letter, in huge bold print, says “Domain Name Expiration Notice”. The DRoA conveniently makes the letter look like a past-due bill, and they include all of the information about your domain (which they obtain illegally, by the way) with their costs for renewal, and a handy little envelope to send your payment to them.

What the Domain Registry of America is doing is an old-fashioned bait-and-switch technique. They send you what looks like a legitimate invoice or past-due notice, with a return envelope for payment. As soon as you send them one payment, you have basically granted them permission to take over the ownership and registration privileges of your domain name(s). So your domain name will get moved from your current registrar over to DRoA’s own servers. And if you are ever truly past-due with DRoA, they will instantly claim ownership of your domain and resell it via auction to other parties.

Also, DRoA uses illegal means of obtaining your domain information. They use web-based WhoIs searches to get all of your contact information in the first place. This is illegal in the United States, and in many other parts of the world as well. It states right in the WhoIs databases that you cannot use the information gathered their for commercial means or soliciting business from companies or individuals.

Why is the DRoA getting away with this, if it is in fact illegal? For one, the Domain Registry of America is actually located in Canada! For that reason alone these scam artists should get life in prison! So in fact, their fake United States address on their envelopes is Domain Registry of America, 2316 Delaware Avenue #266, Buffalo, New York 14216-2687. But in fact, this is just a collections center, and not an actual office.

Personally, I have been getting letters from the DRoA for some time now, and I don’t understand why the state and federal government has not already shut down the Domain Registry of America. I’ve seen reports all over the internet about the DRoA, check out these articles…

Court Bars Canadian Company from Misleading Consumers in Marketing of Internet Domain Name Services

“Domain Registry of America” scam

Who will stop Domain Registry of America?

Domain Registry of America fraud

Domain Registry of America is at it Again!

Domain Registry of America "renewal" notices

Domain Registry of America renewal letters

Court bars Canadian domain slammer