We want to help you prevent your domain name registration from being 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:

o       Internet Registry of Canada (IROC)

o       Internet Registry of America (IROA)

o       Verisign/Network Solutions

Check out http://www.domainscams.com for the latest information.

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 your current provider.

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

The first 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

How can I help make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else?

Report the incident to your current provider and the appropriate authorities!!  Proactively combating these sorts of unscrupulous business practices is the only way to ensure these companies are stopped.  This will not only help you, but all registrants, to enjoy the freedom to choose your provider and to be free from solicitations designed to deceive or trick you.  It will also help us aid you in the recovery of your domain.

Please report all incidents of solicitation to: support@ruralnetwork.net

Send evidence of the solicitation to your current domain provider.  We’re working with Tucows OpenSRS, our supplier as well as the appropriate authorities to assess the pursuit of legal and policy initiatives at our disposal.  Please help us by taking the time to send us any solicitation you receive.  Samples can be sent to:

How can I combat an incident of solicitation?

Incidents of solicitation should always be reported to your current provider.  Additionally, the following resources can be used to help combat these practices in general:

In the United States:

o       Report your incident at the United States Postal Inspection Service On-line Complaints web site.

o       You can also complete the PDF Form <Insert link to PDF>
and send the completed report to your Postmaster or mail to:

INSPECTION SERVICE SUPPORT GROUP

222 S RIVERSIDE PLAZA STE 1250

CHICAGO IL 60606-6100

o       Check out http://www.domainscams.com for the latest information on these sorts of solicitations.

In Canada:

o       Businesses and consumers who believe they have been misled should contact the Competition Bureau toll free at 1-800-348-5358 or visit their web site located at: www.competition.ic.gc.ca

o       Report your incident using the Competition Bureau On-line Complaints form here: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/ct01260e.html

o       Review the latest information at the The RCMP website which can be found at: http://www.rcmp.ca/scams/bfraud.htm