Web Domain Email Scam

A scam email has been brought to the attention of the IGA, claiming that a domain pertaining to your business has been requested. They state that they have a statutory obligation to inform you of the request, and that for a fixed annual fee paid in one sum your domain can be protected for 10 years.

The email may look something like this:

Subject: Your domain name has been claimed 

Dear Sir/Madam,

We have received a request for the registration of the website www.EXAMPLE.net Our system shows that you are the owner of www.EXAMPLE.co.uk. This can have far-reaching consequences for you in the future. We are therefore under the statutory obligation to contact you, in order to offer you the first right of registration. This means that we will reject the application of the third party and the website:

www.EXAMPLE.net

After agreement we will link this website to:

www.EXAMPLE.co.uk

This means that you will have the first option on the domain name, in order to avoid possible future problems.

We are usually under the obligation to register the domain name and to protect it for a period of 10 years. The annual price for the .NET extension is £19.75 per year. This means a one-off payment of £197.50. When the link has been completed, all the Internet traffic that goes to the .NET extension, will be automatically linked to your current extension and website. This process will take a maximum of 24 hours. This domain name will then have a worldwide reach. The third party will be rejected and can no longer use your domain name.

Important information:

– You will receive a one-off invoice of £197.50, exclusive of VAT, for a term of 10 years.

– This contract can be cancelled at all times after the first term of one year. The paid amount for the remaining number of years will be refunded to your account.

If you agree to our offer, please send an agreement by email within 48 hours after receipt of this email, stating your name, address and VAT number in a reply to this e-mail address.

The third party will subsequently be rejected by us, and we will then complete the link. You will receive a confirmation and all the information you need by email on the same day.

With kind regards,

Steven Wilson

steven@ukdt.org

www.ukdt.org

If you receive a similar email or become aware of any suspicious activity, please report it to the IGA Direct Member Helpline on 01788 225 908 as soon as you can, in order for us to alert other members.

You can also report scam emails to Citizens Advice and Action Fraud.