Similar to domain name renewal scams, you may receive notices suggesting that you must renew a service to keep your website visible on search engines. These messages may include official-sounding terms like:
- Search Engine Submission
- Domain Directory Listing
- Domain SEO Submission
- Keyword Registration
These are not real or necessary services. The intent behind these scams is to pressure you into paying for something that either doesn’t exist or offers no actual value.
Why These Scams Work
Scammers often use:
- Urgent language like “Final Notice” or “Immediate Payment Required”
- Implied consequences such as loss of search visibility
- Deceptive formatting that mimics invoices or official correspondence
They’re especially effective at targeting small businesses or site owners who aren’t familiar with how search engine indexing actually works.
What You Should Know
- You don’t need to submit your site to search engines to stay listed
- Search engines discover your site by crawling links from other sites or via sitemap files
- Legitimate SEO companies may offer services to help improve your ranking — but not submission or renewal fees
How to Stay Protected
- Ignore unsolicited notices about SEO “renewals” or search listings
- Never pay for “keyword registration” — it’s a made-up term
- Work only with trusted SEO professionals who explain what they’re doing and how it helps
- If you have any doubts, check with your provider before paying for any unsolicited service