Most of my clients have been with me for many years and they rely on me to help direct them when it comes to issues with their domain and website. One of the most common emails I get from them are forwards of what they think might be spam, but want reassurance.
How do I know if the email regarding renewing my domain name is spam or valid?
First of all, make sure you know exactly who your registrar is. A registrar is the company that you pay your annual fee to for your domain name. The most popular are GoDaddy, Network Solutions and Pin Oak Domains. If you get emails or mail from anyone else, chance are you are getting spammed or phished.
Secondly, know when your domain(s) expire. Put it in your calendar. Sometimes the notifications can get lost in the mail or marked as spam. Don’t let it expire. Log into your registrar account and the date will be listed.
Should I pay extra for my Registrar (GoDaddy or Network Solutions or whoever) to hide my information?
When you first register for a domain name, it is wise to pay extra for the hidden information. Paying for that service after the fact is useless.
Will hiding my information on my domain registration help slow down the spam emails?
Once you register a domain name and pay for it, your information is out there for the world to see. It’s public information and picked up by thousands of spammers. Then sold to more spammers. Once that happens, no need to hide it.
How did spammers get my domain ownership information?
It’s easy to find it in a WHOIS record. I use GoDaddy’s. So far, it’s pretty reliable.
- https://www.godaddy.com/
- Scroll to the very bottom of the page
- Find WHOIS, right now it’s under Resources
- Click on WHOIS
- Where it says “enter a domain name”, put in your domain. Mine would be pinoak.net
- Click the SEARCH button
- You might have to prove you are not a robot, but after that you will see what the world sees
Who can I call or email when I have questions regarding those suspicious domain renewal emails?
My clients always email me first. If you don’t have a web master you can rely on, then call YOUR registrar – not the one that you got the mail from.
