Warning about domain name registration

Nominet UK, the .uk Internet registry, is warning website domain name holders to be aware of invoices being distributed by an organisation called "Domain Registry Services."

Nominet UK's advice comes after it had received a number of complaints from domain name holders and small businesses that they had received a 'Notice of Expiration' invoice from Domain Registry Services, which implies that it is the registry for those domain names.

Nominet UK said: "The notice states that the registrant stands to lose their domain name unless the invoice is settled. The sums being demanded are many times what Nominet would charge a registration agent (seller of domain names) for registering a .uk domain name.

"These false invoices have been issued to owners of .com and .org domain names in the past, but Nominet UK has recently received information that this scam has spread to .co.uk names as well."

They advise all .uk domain holders to be careful when checking correspondence regarding the expiry of their domain names. If there are any doubts about the validity of an invoice, Nominet UK advises to contact your existing registration agent.

Nominet UK is also investigating where this organisation has obtained its lists of .uk information, and is co-operating with trading standards officers to deal with this matter.

Nominet UK

Nominet UK is the registry for .uk internet names. It manages the authoritative database of .uk domain name registrations. It is officially recognised as the .uk domain name registry by the internet industry, users and the UK Government.