Domain Registry of Canada - Scam

[Morbid Angel]

Recently I have become a victim of an elaborate scam.

I consider my self quite advanced when it comes to spam emails, scam letters etc but this one got me so I want to share. I recently registered a domain (a year ago) with webserve Canada. Now I got a letter from Domain Registry of Canada stating that my domain was about to expire and that it had to be renewed. Not knowing that they were unrelated with webserve, I had my accounting commit a cheque ($42 cad) to the them.

After a while I started to get emails from Domain Registry of Canada stating that in order to complete transfer of my domain they require my EPP key and some other identification info which I had to get from Webserve. I am a very busy person leaving little time to macro manage this kind of stuff. Eventually I emailed to Webserve and they replied stating that Domain Registry of Canada is a scam and that I should not send them anything (including money) but I already have. After that I did a quick google to learn this:

http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archi...il-and-online/

They are legit in a sence of handling domains etc, but they charge insanly high compared to others in my case $42 dollars per year vs $13 dollars with webserve. I cannot believe this still...
Is there anything I can do to undo this ? I know that probably not but I thought I'd ask.

[mike_kennedy]

If you used your credit card you could try and cancel through them. Might be tough if they actually registered your domain, over priced or not. But in Canada you should get 14 days of buyer remorse for some purchases.

[arobbert]

I don't think they can actually register the domain without going through a process. As I remember the domain has to be released which would require that you contact the people you are currently registered with. You could try calling them and if they are a legitimate company they will refund your money. Threaten that you will file a complaint against them. And if you paid with a credit card you can refute the charge.

[dellis]

Morbid,

I got hit by these guys too last year. I thought it was legit because i started gettiing the emails just as my domain was up for renewal. I chalked it up as a loss and committed myself to giving anyone who works for them a flying elbow should paths ever cross.

[Morbid Angel]

Yep. They cannot transfer the domain until you give them an EPP key and something else. I went home and read that letter they sent me. Its basically a soliciting letter (spam) just like any other spam except its a very carefully worded and constructed letter. It looks like a legit Government of Canada document, with the red maple leaf on it, black frames and some red decals. From afar it looks like something Canadian gov would send you.
In the letter it self it makes you worry about your domain as they state its going to expire soon (though its 6 month from expiration) and that if you dont act now, you will loose your personal data etc etc. However it clearly also states about the transfer of the domain. The funniest thing is on the back. There is 5 pages of text compacted into one back side. The letters are so small you need magnifying glass to read them. There it states that the money they get from you is non refundable. Bang they got you right there in small fine print!
Ehhh

[jujubee]

We have a Domain Registry of America scam too saying the same thing. I get snail mail from them twice a year. They've been recently forced to put in print that they are unaffiliated with my registry.

[Morbid Angel]

So funny, they have been harassing me with emails and when I replied to them - I want to cancel this transfer emails have stopped.