ICANN Domain Name Renewal Scam... or Not?

Have you ever got an email that asks you to review or update the contact information for your domain name? I often get asked if this is legit or is it spam. The answer more often than not is that it is legit.

These emails will usually contain the following information:

"ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) requires all accredited registrars to ask their domain administrators/registrants to review domain name contact data annually, and make any changes necessary to ensure accuracy."

Read more about the ICANN and this requirement here.

It is extremely important that you do, in fact, review your domain records! And the added bonus if you do respond to your registrars request to review your information and confirm it is correct? They will quit sending you reminders!

If your domain contact records are inaccurate, even with respect to your email address - and your registrar cannot communicate with you, your domain name will be at risk for being placed 'on hold'. Ultimately, the registrar has a contractual right to delete domain names where no response is received.

Having said that, it is also important that you know who your registrar is, and do not respond to just any email that claims to be your registrar. My advice: NEVER click on links in any email that you are unfamilar with. Always type the url of your registrar directly into your browser before following the instructions given in the email. For my customers of mine who manage their own domain account - if in doubt, forward the email to me.