Yes, there is another company out there trying to take more of your hard earned cash from you than you need to spend.
I recently received some letters from a company called The Domain Registry of Europe, informing me that some of my domain names were due for renewal within the next three months, and that I should "Renew today to avoid being forced to pay higher prices."
Although the letter/statement says that, "This is not a bill." It goes on to state that the current domain name must be renewed, with other domain name extensions as optional.
The correspondence is probably not illegal, but the way in which it is presented is certainly not very ethical.
The company go to great lengths to hide their true identity. The letter was sent from Key Mail, B/141, 1934 Brussels X Airport, Belgium. The company is listed as The Domain Registry of Europe, 56 Gloucester Road, Suite 526, London , England. However, the main telephone number is +1 905 479-2977. This turns out to be Osiris
