“Domain Registry of Canada” Scam

The Domain Registry of Canada is pulling a mail-out scam.
Has anyone else received one of these? They mail a notice of renewal for your domain name with pricing, check boxes and a credit card information area for them to renew your domain name.

It’s been my experience that the average person has little understanding of who their domain registrar actually is and how it all works and I am guessing that this is what The DRoC people are hoping for.
As a domain name registrar reseller myself receiving this notice stood out to me like a red flag. They are using the word “renewal” as if this is coming from YOUR current domain registrar but what they are really trying to do is TRANSFER your domain name to their services.

Normally, a succesful transfer relies on the person clicking “yes” in a confirmation email from the current registrar but what the fine print on the back of these DRoC mail-outs say is that in the event a transfer doesn’t take place they will keep trying daily until it becomes available for transfer. Not only that but “You agree to pay prior to the effectiveness of the desired services.” In otherwards, if your transfer to them fails, you still pay.
I don’t know of any domain registrar who does that except for DRoC.

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