A domain name renewal scam occurs when cybercriminals send fake renewal notices to website owners, tricking them into paying unnecessary fees or transferring their domain to a fraudulent registrar. These scams often create a sense of urgency, warning that failure to renew will result in the domain being lost.

How This Can Happen to Us?
Scammers send official-looking emails, letters, or even text messages that mimic domain registrars. These messages typically state that your domain is about to expire and provide a link for renewal. The link leads to a fraudulent website that collects payment information or transfers domain ownership to the scammer.

Some scammers use domain expiration databases to target website owners with highly personalized messages, making the scam appear legitimate.

Example of a Scam
A small business owner receives an email claiming their domain, “mybusiness.com,” is expiring in 24 hours. The email includes a link for renewal. The owner, worried about losing their website, clicks and pays $150. Later, they realize their real domain was set to renew automatically, and the payment went to an unknown company.

How to Protect Yourself?
Check Your Registrar: Always verify renewal notices by logging into your official domain registrar’s account instead of clicking email links.
Be Wary of Urgency: Scammers pressure victims with phrases like “Immediate Action Required.” Real registrars send multiple reminders without threats.
Review Sender Information: Look for misspellings, suspicious domains, or generic email addresses that differ from your actual registrar.
Enable Auto-Renewal: This ensures you never miss a renewal, reducing the risk of falling for fake notices.
Use WHOIS Privacy Protection: Scammers often target publicly listed domain owners, so enabling privacy protection can reduce exposure.