| Have you ever received a letter from DORA | | | | one in the same. Maintain good communication and |
| (Domain Registry of America)? A lot of my clients | | | | ask them questions. If they are unwilling or unable to |
| have, informing them of their 'pending domain | | | | answer your questions, it might be wise to look |
| registration renewals.' Luckily, I maintain a close | | | | elsewhere for your domain registration needs. |
| relationship with my clients and they have asked me | | | | My services for renewing a domain costs my clients |
| about the letter before sending money to these | | | | only $15 per year. DORA often charges in excess of |
| rip-off artists. | | | | $30 per year. Sometimes they offer a discount if |
| Unfortunately, not so many are that lucky. Over the | | | | you register two or three years with them, and |
| years, DORA has duped a lot of clients of registrar | | | | when you see that discount you almost want to |
| companies out of considerable amounts of money. | | | | jump at the chance to 'save some money.' This is |
| And the saddest part is, the way they do it is not | | | | where they get you. Even with their discounts, they |
| considered illegal. Years ago, this was not the case | | | | are still charging more than what I would. |
| though. | | | | Of course there are companies out there that can |
| For some time, DORA had fraudulently misled | | | | charge as little as $6 per year to register a domain, |
| recipients of their letters stating that they were | | | | but once you register your domain with them, you |
| affiliated with the registrar that they were currently | | | | typically become just another account number to |
| using. Or they would state that they are offering | | | | that company. My clients are all treated with highest |
| them a better price than they are already paying. | | | | regards and are normally on a first name basis. |
| DORA uses various WHOIS databases to acquire | | | | I am a great believer in excellent customer service at |
| information to send their letters out to unsuspecting | | | | all times; which is why I am writing this. Hopefully it |
| companies and individuals. How could something like | | | | reaches you before you make the mistake of |
| this be possible, you may ask? It's really quite simple. | | | | allowing this company to take advantage of you. |
| It has mainly to do with ignorance and failed | | | | Here are some additional resources to assist you in |
| communication between registrar companies / web | | | | protecting yourself against DORA. |
| designers and their clients. | | | | Federal Trade Ccommission Posting |
| There have been countless complaints filed against | | | | Alternate names they have used: |
| DORA over the years. Even the Federal Trade | | | | Registration Services Incorporated, Domain Registry |
| Commission banned DORA from continuing their | | | | Services, Registration Services Incorporated, Domain |
| misleading activities and ordered them to pay | | | | Registry of Europe, Yellowbusiness.ca, Internet |
| compensation for the clients they had misled. Here's | | | | Registry of Canada, Domain Registry of Canada and |
| an important article to check out: whoisfinder.com | | | | Domain Registry of Australia. |
| news/200401/canadian-domain-slammer.html | | | | Websites they have used: droa.com, droa.net, |
| The best way to avoid something like this from | | | | droa.org, droa.biz, droc.ca, droe.com, droe.info, |
| happening to you is to be in constant contact with | | | | droe.biz. |
| your registrar and or web designer, unless they are | | | | |