| Recently I received a similar letter. Its ominous title: | | | | involved in 2003 and required one of these |
| Domain Name Expiration Notice. It came from a | | | | companies to stop using misleading phrases in their |
| company whose name I didn't recognize. I've never | | | | notices like "register lock" and "loss of your online |
| used them, never registered a domain with them. My | | | | identity". The letter I received didn't lie, because it is |
| experience with registering domains helped me to | | | | clear you can call them to transfer or renew your |
| make a quick decision to put the letter in the | | | | domain. If you choose to use them you are |
| shredder and move on. I hope to pass on this | | | | transferring your domain from the company it is |
| confidence to ease your cancellation fears. | | | | currently registered! |
| If you have registered your domain name with any | | | | You may be thinking "no harm, no foul" in transferring |
| well-known registration companies or any of the | | | | your domain from one company to another. I |
| numerous reputable online services - you will never | | | | recommend that you check out the cost differences |
| receive a renewal notice in the mail. They are | | | | before taking the leap. The offer I received was |
| Internet businesses and communicate with most | | | | roughly 3.5 times the costs I am paying for domain |
| frequently via email. Just as important as knowing | | | | name registration with a well-known company. The |
| you won't be mailed a renewal notice, it's important | | | | letter urges "Act today!"... yet my domain does not |
| to remember that emailed renewal notices are the | | | | come up for yearly renewal for another six months. |
| only notices you'll receive and failure to respond can | | | | It's not urgent to renew a half year in advance, losing |
| result in the loss of your domain. | | | | registration time I have already paid for. |
| Mailed notices prey upon the un-savvy and the too | | | | My best advice for responding to domain registration |
| busy. Unless it is read thoroughly it appears to be a | | | | letter is to not respond at all. |
| renewal bill. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) got | | | | |