Is this real, or am I being sold off to the dark web?

[NorthEast Ohio]

I’ve never heard of this — just showed up in my inbox:

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)
SEARCH AND RESCUE SATELLITE AIDED TRACKING (SARSAT)
The 2-year registration for your 406 MHz ELT expired yesterday. This is your 2nd renewal reminder. Please take a few moments now to verify your beacon ID and renew your registration.

Is this legit? Or will I end up in a debtors prison in Belarus if I click the link?

 

[Daleandee]

Edit: I didn't know but Skyrys62 has the correct answer. See below.

 

[Skyrys62]

https://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/beacon.html

 

[Kenny Phillips]

I think that this is one of those regulations without any claws for violation, unless, of course, you need to be found in a wilderness.
There is literally a novel's worth of references to other titles of the CFR, but I could find no penalty.

 

[Bell206]

I think that this is one of those regulations without any claws for violation,

FYI: Given its a FCC rule to register all active 406 units, the FCC has a route to fine/prosecute especially if the 406 unit is used improperly. Being unregistered simply adds to the repercussions. As far as I know the FAA doesn't enforce this FCC rule, however, I've seen the Coast Guard enforce it from my experience working in the GOM. There were a few "hoax" activation a number of years ago that raised this issue and ended up with some stiff fines in the end. Also I believe there was a notice issued by the FCC years ago covering this as well.

 

[weilke]

Don't click the link. Go to the NOAA registration site using your access credentials and verify that your registration is up to date.

 

[Albany Tom]

Don't click the link. Go to the NOAA registration site using your access credentials and verify that your registration is up to date.

This is the correct answer. Government organizations, banks, health care providers shouldn't even be allowed to send links with emails, but they continue to do so. Even worse, they are lately using url shortening services, so you have no idea at all if the links are legitimate.

 

[Plano Pilot]

Did you have a 406 ELT installed about 2 years ago?
Did the letter or link ask you for money? The answer should be no.
I get a letter every 2 years to update our contact information about our 406 ELT.

 

[weilke]

I suggest everyone make sure their record is up to date. Saves everyone involved in SAR a lot of headache if an ELT activation can be resolved with a phone call from the air force rather than triggering an 'alert notice'. Same with PLBs and EPIRBs. You'll get a lot more motivation on the side of the searchers if the instruction is 'you are looking for the 35ft sport fisher 'Reels Out' white and blue superstructure, unknown number of souls on board coordinages xxxW yyyN' rather than 'unregistered beacon, coordinates xxxW, yyyN'.

 

[GeorgeC]

Beacon registration is on my 3x5 card of all of the relevant expiration dates...

 

[kyleb]

I checked on the dark web. They don’t want you. ;-)

 

[Albany Tom]

There is no dark web. It's all dark. It's just the news that describes a binary distinction. With apologies to Pink Floyd.