When it comes to registering domain names, some of you may be timid, unsure or downright scared. You shouldn’t be. It’s easier than you think.
Whether you choose to register a domain name because you are looking into a serious website project or you and your friends thought of a funny domain name and want to lock it up, the process is the same. Find a registrar, search for availability, purchase.
Most registrars have very similar rates and offer 1 year or multiple-year registration periods. Generally speaking, you can register a domain for between $9-$18 per year. Some even have coupons every other day. GoDaddy, I’m looking at you. So, if you choose to stick to it for more than one year or just want to stake your claim on the web, don’t be scared.
The Scam
For those of you that have registered domain names, you may be well aware of this scenario. It’s about a month away from the time when you’ll need to renew your domain name and you’ve just gotten a letter in the mail from, let’s say, Domain Scammers of America. “Whew, thanks for the reminder!” you think. Only, this isn’t the company that you originally used to register yomommasofat.com, so why would they be sending you a reminder to renew?
They are trying to get you to transfer your domain to them. It may not be as nefarious as it sounds, you will still own the rights to your website, but they want to be the company you go through. Often, they will charge you up to three times what you originally paid. That’s the bad part.
For the uninitiated, you may just skim the letter, fill it out and send a check without thinking much about it only to realize what they’ve done when you receive an email requesting authorization to transfer your domain name. This is generally where the panic sets in, but don’t worry – all is not lost.
If you don’t authorize the transfer, they CANNOT move your domain from your original registrar. It’ll just stay put. As for the $35-$105 that you mailed, well that may not be so easy to recover. Some folks have had good luck getting a refund, but others are out that money.
So, please be careful with your domains! Here are a few things to remember:
- Keep Good Records: When you register a domain name, print off any emails related to the purchase.
- Mark Your Calendar: Remember when your domain will need to be renewed. One good thing is that almost all registrars will give you the option to automatically renew your domain – take advantage of this! If you use your phone or Google Calendar, you can set reminders to renew or at the very least, make sure your auto-renew settings are up to date.
- Update Your WHOIS: This is the Owner, Admin, Tech and Billing contact info for your domain. The most important part of this is the Owner and Admin email address. You need to have access to this in order to make transfers and changes as easy as possible.
Remember, we’re here to help. If you have any questions about domains just let us know!