Fraudulent Domain Invoicing

Frequently Asked Questions

The following provides answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the domain name registration solicitation mailings.

What is Fraudulent Invoicing for Domains?

We want to help you prevent your domain name registration from being inadvertently moved to another company by being tricked into renewing with another provider. If you receive mail that appears to be an invoice, which is in fact a solicitation for business, you may be the target of a fraudulent or false invoicing scheme.

Which companies are making these solicitations?

There are a number of domain registration companies looking to grow their businesses by stealing business from other companies. While we welcome fair competition in the marketplace, some companies believe the best way to win business is to solicit existing domain name registrants from other companies. Wherever possible, these companies will target registrants and trick them into moving their domain registration business. Some companies recently reported to have been involved in this type of activity are:

• Internet Registry of Canada (IROC)
• Internet Registry of America (IROA)
• Verisign/Network Solutions

What should I do to avoid being tricked into transferring my domain away from my current provider?

The best way to combat this is to simply IGNORE all communications regarding your domain name that do NOT come from Sargasso Networks. Any communication sent by us will come from sargasso.net. While we rarely send correspondence by postal mail, any letters we do send are on Sargasso letterhead with our trademark vortex logo.

What can I do if I'm already a victim?

The first thing you must do is enter your control panel and ensure that domain locking is turned on for your domain. This provides the first level of protection against unauthorized transfers.

The second thing you should do is contact the payment authority. In all likelihood, these transactions will not be processed if the company is not able to secure payment for the transaction. If you have already sent money to one of these companies, we suggest contacting your bank or credit card company immediately regarding your options to have any payment you may have authorized either stopped or reversed.

Major Credit Card Company Contact Numbers:

• Visa Global Customer Assistance: 1-800-847-2911
• Mastercard USA: 1-800-MC-ASSIST (1-800-622-7747)
• Mastercard Canada: 1-800-307-7309
• American Express: 1-800-528-4800
• Diners Club USA: 800 2 DINERS (1-800-234-6377)
• Diners Club Canada: 1 800 363 3333