The DROA – Domain Registry of America
DROA stands for “Domain Registry of America” and is a scam run by “Registration Services Incorporated”. They have been doing this for a long time, but customers are still falling this scam.
Other names they have used include “Domain Registry Services”, “Registration Services Incorporated” and “Domain Registry of Europe”.
They have also used “Domain Registry of America”, “Yellowbusiness.ca”, “Internet Registry of Canada”, “Domain Registry of Canada”, “Domain Registry of Australia”.
Letters in the post:
They first started to send out fake renewal letters to domain owners. They used info taken from various WHOIS databases (mainly the Tucows OpenSRS database) in 2002.
Letters were worded in a way that tried to trick domain owners into thinking that they were the domains registrar. They included various phrases and logos that appeared to look official. In addition, highly inflated prices were charged to those who did transfer their domain.
A number of big companies were ripped off and had their domains transferred to these crooks. Many domain owners have been caught out by these letters.
Letters have been sent on and off for months at a time, to various domain holders. It’s not just in the UK. These letters have been sent to Australia, Canada, America, Europe and more have been on the receiving end of these fake adverts.
DROA Websites used by this Domain Registry scam:
droa.com, droa.net, droa.org, droa.biz, droc.ca, droe.com, droe.info, droe.biz
Some links to DROA activities:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/08/06/legal_action_threatened_against_domain/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/07/17/domain_registry_of_europe_defends/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/08/16/ad_watchdog_critical_of_domain/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/10/23/asa_slams_intimidating_domain_registry/
ASA Rulings:
[BROKEN LINK REMOVED] 05/2021
FTC (Federal Trade Commission):
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/12/domainreg.htm
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2003/12/031219stipdomainreg.pdf
If you get any letters from anybody about your domain name, throw them away. Real domain name providers like us only ever contact customers by email if your domain name is registered through us.
If you have received a letter in the post or an email from “the DROA or Domain Registration Services” then please do contact us.
