Domain name scams to watch for

By George Morina · Guide · 22 October 2026

Domain owners get a steady flow of unsolicited messages. Most are harmless, but a few patterns come up again and again.

The "appraisal first" buyer

Someone offers a high price for your domain, but only after you buy an appraisal or certificate from a site they name. The buyer then disappears. A genuine buyer will not make you pay a third party before a deal.

Fake escrow websites

The other party suggests an escrow service you have not heard of, or sends a link to a copy of a real one. Type the address of a known escrow service yourself, and only transfer a name after logging in there to confirm the funds.

Spoofed registry and registrar emails

Nominet has warned about emails pretending to come from it using the nominet.co.uk address. It says genuine emails come from nominet.uk and nominet.org.uk addresses. If an email asks you to log in or pay, go to your registrar's website directly instead of clicking the link.

Renewal notices from strangers

Letters or emails that look like renewal invoices may come from a company you have never used, and paying may move your domain to them. Check who your registrar is with Nominet's lookup (for .uk) or ICANN's lookup (for others) and renew only through them.

"Someone wants to register your name in Asia"

An email claims another company is about to register your brand in other extensions and urges you to buy them first. These are sales tactics. Decide calmly whether you need any extra extensions.

Reporting

If you have lost money, report it to Report Fraud, the police's national reporting service. The service asks people in Scotland to report by calling 101. Tell your bank straight away if you made a payment.