CEO Domain Name Scam Hits Companies – Including the Identity Theft Resource Center

Date: 11/12/2020
  • Domain name scams are making the rounds in hopes of triggering a response from a company’s employees out of fear. 
  • The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) recently received a domain name scam claiming a registrar found the main body of domain names from “RENDE International Ltd.” that were the same as the ITRC’s. 
  • If anyone receives a similar email, ignore it. Never share personal or sensitive information with an unknown company.  
  • For more information, contact the ITRC at no-cost by calling 888.400.5530 or by live-chat on the company website. 

Domain name scams are making their way through different companies, including the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC). The scam is well-known, but small-to-mid-size businesses (SMBs) can be tricked into responding. While scammers send the email in hopes of triggering a response out of fear, it is important employees at businesses of all sizes be able to spot the domain name scam. 

Here is one of a few of the emails that the ITRC recently received:

Who It Is Targeting 

SMBs; Email users; Employees of companies with websites 

What It Is 

A CEO domain name scam is an email that appears to be a warning for the website owner regarding possible issues with their brand and domain name.

In the case of the ITRC, the email claims a website registrar found the ITRC’s domain name was also being used by “RENDE International Ltd.” The email asks for a response ASAP to “solve the problem promptly.”

What They Are After 

Scammers hope that companies fear losing their brand identity or trademark information to a competitor that will purchase new domain names. The “registrars” may also charge higher prices than the standard rates offered by reputable registrars.  

How You Can Avoid It 

  • Do not respond to the email. Only renew a domain name through the company where it was initially purchased.  
  • Use the company email provider’s “spam” feature to report the email as junk. 
  • Never share personal or sensitive information with an unknown company. 
  • Companies should train their employees on how to respond to domain name scams and any  attempted scams that could affect the company. 

For more information on how an SMB, or any other company, can avoid a CEO domain name scam, contact the ITRC toll-free at 888.400.5530 to speak with an expert advisor. You can also live-chat through the company website.  

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