If you received this letter in the mail recently, you don’t need to panic, and you certainly don’t need to write down your credit card information and mail it away – but you probably know that already.
If you’re a small business owner, there’s a chance you might have received a letter from Domain Listings to submit a payment for an “Annual Website Domain Listing.” The amount is usually about $228, and this can look incredibly alarming for a business that isn’t tech-savvy.
For all intents and purposes, Domain Listings is a real business – it just probably isn’t what you think it is. Most people associate the word “domain” with sites such as GoDaddy, Squarespace, BlueHost, and other similar companies. Users log on to shop for, purchase and manage website domains to build websites, start blogs, sell products, market your services, and much more.
Domain Listings is not one of these businesses. Still, through cheeky naming practices, users everywhere become confused when they receive a letter that tells them to subscribe for their annual domain listing. They submit payment information online (hopefully not through the mail, at least) and are surprised when their company becomes visible on the Domain Listings website.
Their website is a directory designed to help local businesses promote their services by location and categorical filtering. While it’s a good idea to promote your business and take advantage of Local SEO best practices, companies like this confuse and take advantage of business owners that otherwise don’t know how to navigate their online presence and technical needs.
If you’ve received this letter, you can safely throw it away. Your website will not disappear if you don’t pay. If you are ever worried that you might be getting scammed or solicited by a company that you’ve never heard of, then talk to your trusted technology expert. If you don’t have one, get in touch with CTTS today, and we’ll help you protect and secure your business, so you don’t panic when you get letters like this.