November 21, 2006 - Domain Registry of Canada (DROC) Swindling Domains
Today I received a letter from the Domain Registry of Canada (DRoC). In this letter they outlined "as a courtesy to domain name owners" that one of my domains was up for renewal and that "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". The only problem is I never registered a domain with DRoC. They are sending out these notices to scam people into transferring their domains to their company at a cost of $40 per domain. However, in some organizations or to the unknowing, somebody may complete this form thinking that they have to register your domain so they don't loose it - but actually transfer it to a totally different company and in most cases pay more.This tactic was used in the past by Verisign which raised a lot of attention and legal battles and generally speaking is a horrible way to do business.

Here is the small print on what you may have to go through if you unknowingly transfer your domain to them:

Transfer to New Registrars
You agree that you may not transfer your domain name registration to another domain name registrar during the first sixty (60) days from the effective date of your initial domain name registration with DRoC. You agree to provide written, signed authorization to DRoC for the transfer of the domain name to another registrar and agree to pay any and all fees that may be charged by DRoC to effect the transfer.

In short, don't do business with companies like that that carry out unprofessional (and what should be illegal) business practices. Click here to learn more about these "Domain Slammers". By no means is this scam new, since domains were first offered up for registration, unethical companies have been taking advantage of hard working people. This is just the next round of the same scam which I bet is extremely profitable. Click here to read a warning posted in 2001 on Industry Canada's web site.