Domain Name Scams
If you own a domain name, chances are you’ve received an “invoice” in the mail to change registrars or get a domain “listing”. A client of ours recently received this invoice from a company called Domain Listings. This is a scam designed to catch people who may not be paying attention into sending some money for a service they don’t need.
This invoice is not for domain name registration at all – the service they are supposedly providing is to list your domain name on various sites, presumably to help with your site’s ranking on Google. Even if they performed the service, it would likely do more harm than good.
In the vast majority of cases, your domain name registration renewals will not come in the mail. If you get any paper invoice regarding your hosting or domain name, be very suspicious.
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54 Comments.
They’re still at it. I received a similar bill-looking advertisement in our church office today, July 13, 2015.
The have moved their operation to Las Vegas and upped the amount. Our fake invoice was for $228.
Same here.. $228 and they are still in Las Vegas… I told our literacy director to “return to sender” and add an LOL to the envelope. 😛
We received the same billing at our church in Nashville Feb 2-017
A year later their scam price has not gone up… What a bargain! LOL
I received a bill from Domain Listings this week – 8/18/15 – for $105.00 annual website domain name listing – period applicable: Sept 18, 2015-Sept. 17, 2016. New address: PO Box 19607, Las Vegas, NV 89132-0607.
Why are they still online? Can nothing be done about thieves?
Just received one today…those sneaky snakes!
We just received one today, November 17th, 2015.
They are still at it.. Dec 2015
Received one of these today. Same letterhead. They’re still at it!
They are still sending these as of December 2015 as well to our address. On the BBB, they tried to comment on one of their complaints that their mail letter clearly states “THIS IS NOT A BILL”. No where on my letter does it state that nor does it on the OP’s example. Very deceptive and hard for the business owners to distinguish from the real bill unless they consult with their webmasters.
We recently received a similar invoice, however the return address is PO Box 19607 Las Vegas, NV 89132-0607
Received a letter from this company at our church office today. The newer version of the letter doesn’t show what your listing includes. It just directs you to go to the website. There, the cost of their services is more than two times what is in the original letter. I guess they want you to think you’re getting a good deal. Total scam.
2/2016 I received the same spam in the mail. Be careful!
And still, they are sending these out. One of our clients almost fell for it. They were charging over 100 USD.
I received a letter from them today– March 9, 2016. Still at it.
Nobody has shut this company down yet. I got an invoice in early March 2016.
This is still going on of, course, with me receiving one from domlistsearch.com today. This wasn’t a bill per se, but an authoritative sounding email stating:
“This letter is to inform you that it’s time to send in your registration.”
This is rather irritating as many regular people would probably pay these idiots money.
Still at it to-date. Our non-profit organization received a “bill” dated 2/25/16. Guessing any business can register with BBB — the “bill” shows “BBB Accredited Business” . . . BBB shows their registration in Oct. 2015. Hopefully folks will check this out via websites like this to NOT pay this unknowingly! Thanks for taking time to put this out there.
I receive the same notification. thank you for information.
What can be done about this? Any way to stop them? Their website is still active.
Not really. Like most internet scams, awareness is key…
Thanks! I received a similar invoice today, March 16, 2016, for $105.
They’re still at it dba domain-listings.org. “Invoiced” for $228.
I just received one from Las Vegas domain-listing.org. The amount was for 228.00 which immediately made me suspicious. I can see how well this could work if you are not paying attention.
Same as all of the above, just got mine today, 4/13/16, and BBB website shows they are revoking their approval.
That’s good to know – thanks for the update
Thank you for helping to verify that this is a scam! I’d never dealt with them so immediately I googled them and your informative warning that it’s a scam confirmed my suspicions.
You’re welcome. For me they rank right up there with spammers and hackers.
COMPLETE SCAM!!! DON’T PAY THE INVOICE!!! I WORK AT A CHURCH AND THEY PROBABLY THOUGHT IT WOULD GO UNNOTICED AND PAID BY AN UNKNOWING VOLUNTEER…WELL, NO! I CAUGHT IT AND IT’S DISGUSTING THAT THESE SCAMMERS EXIST AND GET AWAY WITH BEING IN BUSINESS!!!
We got one too. $228 and they are still in Las Vegas. Checked with my Web Host who got our name from godaddy.com. This is a scam.
Got an invoice today for $105.00. I knew we had Godaddy, so I looked up for scams and saw this page.
[…] that show this company has been scamming unsuspecting website and domain name owners for years! This post from Techeffex is from 2013 and here’s an even older one from Andrew Miller with Workshop […]
Just got one at our church office. Thank you for writing this article and confirming my suspicions! The scanned invoice above looks almost identical to the one I received.
One of these almost made it to our AP department this morning, coded for payment and everything. These get sent to people who just don’t know what they are.
My nonprofit got one dated 6/15/2016. Super scammy that they seem to be targeting nonprofits and churches.
Yup. got one today. Bastards.
Two months ago hubby and I got ripped off by a company pretending to be our Gas & Elect. company for $854.
Unfortunately, they got to us at an unusual time where I was not available, and they threatened to turn off our business electricity, so he went ahead and paid it.
This Domain Listings bill I knew to be scam, because I pay for our website, and I know who our host is.
It really steams me that they get away with this at all!
Too bad they only list a P.O. Box as an address, somebody ought to go over there with a baseball bat and break a few legs. Hate thieves!
We received this scam. They were asking for $228. Still in Vegas.
They are still at it! I received a bill today for $228.00 only now the company is located in Las Vegas.
Wow, it appears they like to prey on churches – we just got an invoice for $228 from the Las Vegas office – sad to see
got one aug 2016, luckily my husband brought the bill home from his business to ask me about it…sending it back with a big F you in it!
Got one today, luckily we called the company who keeps our website running and they said it was a scam. BEWARE!!
Our church office got one from Las Vegas for 238.00 Nov 10, 2016
And, yes, they are still at it. Our church just received a fake invoice this week for $228.00.
another attempt dated 11/28/2016 …
They are still at it in December 2016. One of my clients – a doctor’s office – received a letter like this. Thankfully, I pay their bills and know what to look for.
Just got an invoice and it’s December 2016, so yes, they are still at it. Hey, if a thousand people pay the $228 fee, that’s a pretty nice haul for abuse.
I received a fake bill dated November 28, 2016. I filed a complaint with the BBB.
Just got one from Jan 2017. Thank goodness I found this article!
Received one for $228 yesterday for our non-profit. I may call police or Better business bureau in Las Vegas tomorrow to report it.
We received one at our non-profit on December 27, 2016. $228.00 for annual listing on an “internet directory”. It does say in all-caps that it’s not a bill, but Accounts Payable still passed it along to me! Heh. Be wary, guys, a busy accounting clerk can still stamp it and pass it along for payment.
Still at it – just received this in the mail for $228.00 send money to:
Domain Listings. PO Box 19607, Las Vegas NV 89132.
received this scam today