This guide explains what you should do if you receive a message, by email, post, or fax, from an unknown company or one claiming to be Infomaniak.(or a competitor) and mentioning the domain name(s) you own, and requesting payment for fees related to these products.

Introduction

• Several organizations are known for aggressively pursuing domain name registrations (slamming), with the aim of acquiring them or simply making money at your expense.
  • These include: Brandon Gray Internet Services, NameJuice.com, and Global Netsource. In addition, Asian companies are listed here.
  • The company called Domain Registrar of America (DROA) also aims to scam domain name holders by sending a fax or email offering to renew one or more domain names 2 to 3 months before their expiration date. This offer appears official and professional and offers very competitive prices.
• The catch: by signing with these unscrupulous companies, you authorize the transfer of your domain names to these "registrars," with all the risks of your websites and email services being deactivated. Of course, you are encouraged to pay by credit card! Some companies have been the subject of legal action in the USA, Great Britain, and Canada but remain very active in Europe.

Some recommendations

In order to avoid being scammed:

1. Determine who is sending you this message... Is it a company you know, writing to you from Switzerland or France, in French, etc., or is it a message coming from abroad (USA, United Kingdom, Jamaica, Asia, etc.), in English, etc.?
2. Determine the status of your domain name and where it is currently located; to do this, start by performing a WHOIS search on infomaniak.com/whois, for example.
3. Do not respond to these messages under any circumstances... Destroy them, or you risk paying exorbitant and unnecessary amounts.
4. Consult the AFNIC Guide on slamming and other fraudulent practices.
5. Activate Domain Privacy for added peace of mind.
6. Report these messages.