I just got this e-mail today from GoDaddy since I have a couple domains registered through them. I thought it was kind of strange, but wouldn't really put it past Verisign to do this.. :rolleyes:

Here is the e-mail I gotSubject: A WARNING TO OUR CUSTOMERS

Please be aware that Verisign, Inc. (formerly Network Solutions) is sending via the US Mail, what we believe to be deceptive and predatory domain expiration notices.

The purpose behind these notices is to get the unsuspecting customer to transfer to and renew their domain name(s) with Verisign Inc. at significantly higher prices.

The domain expiration notices are designed so that it is not obvious that the notices are from Verisign, Inc. as opposed to Go Daddy Software. To see a copy of one of these deceptive expiration notices, please go to the following URL: http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/private_vsrn.asp?display=letter

Those customers who fall prey to the Verisign, Inc. scheme will have their domain name(s) renewed at a price more than 3 times higher than would be the case if they renewed with Go Daddy Software.

For a .com, .net or .org domain name renewal, the victimized customer would pay $29.00 to Verisign, Inc. instead of the $8.95 charged by Go Daddy Software.

Those customers who fall prey to this scheme, will not receive any better service or value. They will however be tricked out of $20.05 per domain name.

Renewal notices from Go Daddy Software are sent via email, and always mention the Go Daddy name. You can be sure that any communications you receive concerning your domain name that do not explicitly and obviously display the Go Daddy name are not from Go Daddy Software.

If you believe, as we do, that this practice of Verisign Inc. is misleading, predatory and improper, we invite you to make your feelings known by writing to ICANN (who is the governing body for all Registrar’s and Registries) and to Verisign Registry. Email links for both are provided below.

Sincerely,

Bob Parsons, President
Go Daddy Software, Inc.

ICANN Registrar Complaint Form (hosted at InterNIC)
http://www.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi

VeriSign Registry Customer Service
info@verisign-grs.com
Phone: 703-948-3200Has anyone gotten this so-called snail mail from VeriSign yet?

The other day I received my record number of cards for a day trying to trick me into transferring/reregistering my name. 203 Cards in my mailbox on one day.

I receieved this same email. I havent received any mailing from Verisign just yet but I can say that I did get one from a Directnic spinoff. I have a few names registered with directnic and just recently I got a fake notice telling me I need to go to their website and hurry to keep my domain. It expires in like 90 days and they are charging me 45 dollars instead of the directnic price. I hate these scams!

Verisign is not just targeting GoDaddy's customers, they are targeting the entire gTLD database.

-t

Whoa,
It would seem like this would be ilegal!
I got the e-mail today from a friend and seem the notices here.
CAB

I received *snail mail* from VeriSign, trying to trick me into renewing a domain I already renewed at directNIC a month ago. They sure have a lot of money to burn, that's for sure. :rolleyes:

In any case I sent an e-mail to directNIC about it. I wish there was more that we could do about it. The ICANN seems to have leftover spam stuffed in their ears or something.

We have received the deceptive snail mail from Verisign. I only wish that Go Daddy would send ONE e-mail for each customer, instead of for EACH domain registered through them! (i.e. I GOT THE MESSAGE BOB PARSONS!!!!!) =) OK, I'm done now.

Go easy on GoDaddy here, remember that the bulk of the people who register domains are not as comfortable with the way the Internet works as the people on WHT are.

This barrage to grab customers away from other registrars with deceptive business practices - by the very companay that owns the gTLD registry - is going to wind up stealing away millions of domains from the like of GoDaddy and OpenSRS - even though the prices are higher and the service is, well, different.

It's going to work.

It's going to be hugely profitable.

We all have to protest to ICANN, to the FTC, to our congressman (remember that ICANN is being investigated by congress very soon).

-t

Go easy on GoDaddy here, remember...

I don't appreciate Verisign's sneaky tactics one bit, believe me. (And I did register a complaint to ICANN). I just didn't enjoy getting a separate warning for each domain. =)

Verisign is doing this because they are finally feeling the impact of having to compete with other companies. Now they are showing their true colors by using deception and dirty tricks. That company is rotten from the top down. Verisign is a sinking ship. Plus, they are alienating themselves in their own industry.

The bottom line is that when Verisign needs a favor or some help from another company in the industry they're going to find closed doors everywhere they turn.

I've gotten this letter for domains I own and admit that I've had to check to make *sure* the domains weren't registered with NetSol (I have had some that *were* registered there, but I have since transferred them away).

They know it is dirty marketing, they didn't care when they sent it out. As Tim said, they are going to make enough money on this campaign to cover the guaranteed class action lawsuit that will come of it.

They will get loads of new clients, two law firms will make tons of money, everyone else will be screwed, they say, "Ooops! We meant transfer not renew, it is a bit confusing. How silly of us! We won't make that mistake again (maybe)."

Simple economics.


Added:
And while this is all going on, they laugh themselves all the way to the bank. Heck, they have these registrars to thank for getting to the client lists! Why settle for getting $6 from each customer (indirectly from the customer through the registrar) when you can try for getting more and screw the registrar at the same time?

When money and control become the single focus, other things such as 'doing the right thing' and fair competition take a backseat. We're appalled because, although we all do like money and want as much of it as we can get, we're not willing to compromise our dignity and step on our child's head to get it. Verisign is willing to step on their child's head to get it.

I also recieved the snail mail from Verisign for a domain I registered last year for my sons ball team Odessarangers.com.
I had not recieved the email from godaddy until 2 days ago so I was really lost in why it had come from them. I also registered my complaint with ICANN .

I got this GoDaddy email too. Haven't got any NetSol snail mail yet this season, but did get some last year for domains I have with 000Domains.

My guess is the FTC is the best bet - they seem to move at least at a snail's pace, which is many times faster than the rest of the agencies :)

This has apparently also fallen into a "false billing" scam bucket that qualifies it for Mail Fraud within the US Postal Service.

This is according to a post on the OpenSRS mailing list. I'm going to do some more research on this tomorrow when I can get into the PO and I'll post more then if I have any real data.

They are recommending that people send in a mail fraud report to their local post office. The Mail Fraud report is on the US Postal Service website...

-t

I don't get these things since I'm a VeriSign customer (EEEE!!!), but Interland has sent me similar letters.

Originally posted by appletreats
I don't get these things since I'm a VeriSign customer (EEEE!!!), but Interland has sent me similar letters.

Now that's interesting......only NON-NSI customers get those renewal notices??? Hmmmm......

I haven't gotten one yet, but most my domains are in the Jan/Feb. renewal timeframe, so not sure what will happen. I did get the notice from my RSP about these types of activities, so decided to take a look here.

I'll have to keep an eye on all this, and if I get anything myself, I'll be reporting it too. Let's hope some sanity comes out of this and the decent registrars(most charging a LOT less than NSI) can continue thriving by providing their services!

Michael
EP

Hmm... I've been receiving snail mails from Verisign few months ago notifying me that a domain of mine has expired and renewal is required. I paid them. One day I decided to change the administrative contact and discovered I've forgotten the password and the email I used to register for the domain is no longer working. So I wrote to them on how to do this but they refered me to EasyDNS? At this point, only I realised that I registered this domain with EasyDNS but not them. Well have I fallen into the trap? I don't know but if I paid them, why isn't the domain transfered to them?

Thanks
Joe

Hmmm, perhaps they thought your check was manna from heaven...

Just got the snail mail version today.
And I must admit, it is very deceptive.
I'm forwarding a copy to our Attorney General's office.
She hates companies that try to deceive. :angry:

If I didn't know better, I would have thought that my domain needed to be renewed (at VeriSign).:(

I suggest everyone files a complain at www.ftc.gov about Verisign's business practices. Those are unsolicitied mailings. Also put something in there about how much longer they freeze domain expirations.

I think people schould be able to take legal action into this Bull Crap :mad:

I've got to agree with 'thewitt' on this matter. This is very dirty marketing on NSI's part.

I agree with the majority of folks, this is horrid. I too received a GoDaddy email. Since I'm not in the USA, I did not receive any snail mail. However, I have received emails from Directnic trying to con me, filed a complaint with ICANN.