urgent- lettter from domain update center

[seeker]

I had a domain registered with all contact data updated.
Today, I received a letter from 'DUC' with the subject final notice of domain extension.

I look at whois, and I no longer own the domain for a while now!!!
anyone heard of this company, and any idea as to what I can do?

any help as to what I can do is much appreciated.

here is the letter:

251-8 Yonge Street Suite 968
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 9T3
Phone: 1-866-441-0244
Fax: 1-718-208-4213
*

FINAL NOTICE

ATT: (((my name)))
ADMINISTRATIVE CONTACT
(((my name)))
(((my email address and physical address)
www.domain.XXX
*


Please be advised that the above noted domain name has now become available for registration.
Consequently the possibility of conflicting domain registration may occur.


IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES LEGAL CODE



TITLE 15, Sec 1125. False descriptions, and dilution of Trademarks and the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP)
Be advised: Protecting a domain name registrant or trademark owner from confusing and/or conflicting domain name registrations is not the responsibility of the domain and trademark registration processes. In the event of a registration of the above noted domain by a third party, the UDRP may be applied under the following conditions.


Evidence of Registration and Use in Bad Faith. - For the purposes of Paragraph 4(a)(iii), the following circumstances, in particular but without limitation, if found by the Panel to be present, shall be evidence of the registration and use of a domain name in bad faith:


(i) circumstances indicating that the domain name registered or acquired the domain name primarily for the purpose of selling, renting, or otherwise transferring the domain name registration to the complainant who is the owner of the trademark or service mark or a competitor of that complainant, for valuable consideration in excess of your documented out-of-pocket costs directly related to the domain name; or
(ii) the domain name has been registered in order to prevent the owner of the trademark or service mark from reflecting the mark in a corresponding domain name, provided that you have engaged in a pattern of such conduct; or
(iii) the domain name has been registered primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor; or (iv) by using the domain name, registrant has intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to their web site or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement or your web site or location or of a product or service of a web site or location.


In addition to remedies provided for by the URDP, section 4a (1)(2)(3) & b (1)(2)(3)(4) existing registrants, trademark and service mark owners are provided by DUC with a first right to use preference on domain names that are identical with new ccTLD, TLD extentions, or domain names that are confusingly similar to their own.

Privatization of domain registrations and renewals now allow the consumer the choice of registrars when initially registering and also when renewing a domain name.* Domain name holders are not obligated to renew their domain name with their current registrar or with us.* Review our prices and decide for yourself.* You are no obligation to make a payment unless you accept this offer.* This is not a bill, it is a solicitation should you decide to register the above noted domain with us.

You are required to advise the Domain Update Center of your intent to license this name on or before the expiration of this notice.


Note: you may disregard this notice. If you disregard this notice or fail to reply:
(a) The licensing rights of this domain name may be assigned to any other applicant,
(b) DUC and or any ICANN accredited registrar will not be liable for loss of domain name license, identical or confusingly similar use of your company's domain name; or interruption of business activity or business losses.






PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

If you fail to reply to DUC this domain may be registered by any third party without further notice. You must advise us of your intent to (a) secure this domain name or (b) release your first right to use preference.





Call 1-866-441-0244
During our business hours (Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm EST.)

 

[Focus]

I would call them and be like wtf...was it some great domain?



Call 1-866-441-0244
During our business hours (Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm EST.)

 

[seeker]

funny how they sent this on Friday night/Sat morning... Now I have to wait until monday.
and the domain is no longer in my name.
who are these people anyway??

 

[theparrot]

Hmm.. you sure the extentsion is the same as the one you own. This looks like the classic scam of trying to get people to pay high reg. fees to register their domain in other extenstions.

 

[seeker]

hmmmmm.
it is now registered to someone that most of us know here at DNF (and especially at DNJournal)...
this is getting weirder.
Parrot, I am 98% sure I have(had as it now seems) this domain. I do indeed also have it at another extension, but I have a habit of getting multiple extensions. The domain is 3 letters long.

 

[Focus]

Whoaaaaaa...dude Not Good! You Will Need The Registry To Provide You With The Registration Receipt If You Reg'd It...

Duke Has It? Sure You Didnt Sell It And Forget?

 

[Honan]

Seeker,
I got one of these emails yesterday
Don't waste a phone call on them
It is just spam and quite possibly a scam too. Or they are just stupid.
Not only are they using an out of date whois data base, they are enticing people to register through them names that can't even be registered

 

[seeker]

thanks everyone.
I never said Duke has it!!!
someone we know from here and have read about at dnjournal.
Strange thing is, even If I didnt own this (I will look at all my backups when i get to the office), why would someone that we 'know' send this email, assuming they did. and if they didnt send it, why would someone send it, if they cant actually sell the domain (and thus mean they are somehow connected to the registrant).
I did call a while ago, and was redirected to a phone message machine.

 

[Focus]

Its really funny the crap people come up with, I got one from "paypal" the other day that was DEAD ON...looked just just like paypal, and I look very closely, even had all their support links and numbers..it had my username and everything and wanted me to logon and verify my bank account again...lmao...like thats gonna happen! took me to some .to domain...I sent it to the FBI internet task force center and paypal..

 

[Theo]

The email is spam. Your domain either dropped and was snapped or it's irrelevant altogether. I received 5 emails of that same kind.

 

[jberryhill]

scam

 

[Leading Names]

Seek, It's definitely a scam. You probably owned the same LLL combo in a different extension.

I got an identical email sent to me.

"Please be advised that the above noted domain name has now become available for registration…"

What really gave it away was that 'above mentioned domain' was 2j.info :-D

I had previously owned 2j.org.

- Rob

 

[DNjet]

I get 20 a year of that same letter , scammers. I can't believe they spend all that postage!