All too often we get emails or phone calls from concerned web clients asking about the iDNS or Internet Domain Name Services letter they received in the mail. Is it a scam? Do we need to send money to this company so we can keep our web domain and web address? The answer is always a quick: NO. Your domain is safe with us and we will always renew it on your behalf.
For years iDNS has been sending out letters to unsuspecting domain owners making them feel like they have no choice but to put money in the mail quickly to secure their place on the internet. We get about one client per month asking about this letter, and we have even gotten them before ourselves.
That said, what this company appears to be trying to get you to do is transfer your domain to them without realizing that is what you are doing (THIS IS NOT A RENEWAL – IT IS A TRANSFER)… and for a price that most firms like ours would consider far too high. Domain pricing should be between $15-30 annually. Even the 5 year (Best Value) option noted in their letter is higher than this.
While what they are attempting to get you to do is legal, it definitely appears to be a questionable way to get you to do it. As a general rule their letters contain language like “You must renew your domain name to retain exclusive rights to it on the Web, and is the time to transfer and renew your name… Failure to renew your domain name by the expiration date may result in a loss of your online identity…”. While all of this is technically true, it does seem to be attempting to cause fear and make you react out of fear. This is not something a “trusted partner” firm, like ours, would do.
As with any letter you get in the mail from a company you don’t recognize – do your research! Call or email your current web provider. Do a Google search for reviews on the company. And ALWAYS read the fine print.
