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Domain Name Scam

We have recently had first-hand experience of one the scams that is designed to "rip people off".
A company phoned to offer a client a domain name and redirect which they claimed would dramatically increase the traffic to their website, at a cost of £249.00 + £85 (annually for hosting) plus VAT. The hard sell approach (several phone calls within several hours, plus pressure to sign up immediately) claimed that simply by having the domain name which included two of the client's keywords, the site would be easily found.

This is a scam for several reasons:

• This price (£249) - for domain registration and redirection to an existing website - is extremely expensive (the service could be provided for £35 - £45)
• It is doubtful whether there would be any improvement in the ability to find the client's site.
  • Firstly, a potential customer would have to guess and type in the exact web address.
  • Secondly, their service would have a negligible effect on the search engines.
• The money they charge would be far better spent on improving and optimising an existing website.

While it is true that choosing and registering a domain name should not be delayed as this can lead to lost opportunity, all unused domain names are available for anyone to buy. The important factor is the choice and use of the name coupled with an understanding of how the domain name can really work for your benefit in a properly optimised site.