Following my posts about domain name scams targeting those with domain names to sell, many readers said that they received similar scam emails offering to buy their domains. Unfortunately someone found my post too late and got scammed of US$407. Read about how he fell victim to this domain name scam.
My own exchanges with the domain scammer ended when I asked for verification by way of a photo of himself with cat make-up carrying a cat. He had asked for a certificate of appraisal for my domain from securenamesale.com a scam domain appraisal site that no doubt belongs to him.
His scam forum is at http://domaintalk.ourplace.com/Archive/297514.htm where imaginary domain name appraisal experts and domain sellers hang out. Here’s a post from a supposed nameseller dissing established domain seller AfterNic and promoting the scam securenamesale.com.
Many Internet users are not smart enough and popular domain brokers are using this fact to make money. They offer them cheap appraisal services. But if their customers would have something in their heads they’d understand experts could not make a professional research for $15-$20. These appraisals are made by machines. Easy money for such appraisers as http://www.Afternic.com and several other major brokers that offer cheap auto-generated appraisals.
In my eyes, all services under $50-$55 are not manual and the results are generated by special scripts. I don’t trust auto-generated appraisals. I may recommend you http://securenamesale.com/ They provide very fast support and good service. Their appraisals are resonable and are based on quality of your name and current market prices. http://www.GreatDomains.com/ was one of the best appraisers in the world. Earlier I used them but they don’t offer appraisals anymore Manual service is always better. I sent you several of my names Have you received them?
(Paragraph break mine to make reading easier.)
He throws in a few posts about having bought some domains from another forummer to make it look legit. Further on in the same forum, he quotes a post, apparently from the ICANN forums, complaining about AfterNic.
The idea is to discredit established domain reselling sites and push his own scam appraisal sites. After you register with the scam domain appraisal site, you will be charged a few hundred dollars for listing and appraising your domain. That’s how he gets your money - not from the actual buying of your domain name but from appraisal fees.
Once again, if you have a domain name to sell, use established sites like www.sedo.com, www.moniker.com, www.escrow.com.
I’d posted a comment on your earlier blog as well.
Heres another one of those scam mails - i’m posting this here for people to check the name company (although i’m sure this changes every week if not every day)
Hello,
Please send the lowest acceptable price for your virtual property (domain name).
Our company develops software for multiple video systems. Domain names is not our business but a new way to earn on reselling. We are going to buy domains to resell them at higher prices. Our company has a large database of clients interested in good domains.
If you offer more domains for sale with good reselling potential please email us your list.
Looking forward to do business with you.
Regards,
Jacob Connelly
CEO
FJS Solutions
Thanks Kul. Hope more people become informed.
I received the same email… thanks to Google I found you guys… Thanks for posting this warning.
[...] Related Posts: How to spot a domain scammer Domain name appraisal scams [...]
Very good information. It’s a shame that people are doing stuff like this. It only works to discredit those of us that are working to make an honest living in the domain name industry.
Thanks for the post. It is sure to help prevent others from falling for appraisal scams. Unfortunately, I was a victim of this type of appraisal scam as well. I posted a domain for sale via ebay and a supposed “reseller” “from Hong Kong” suggested I have it appraised before he purchased it “preferably” at one of his suggested “non automated” appraisal services. Anyway, I ended up spendig about $60 fo only having the him/her back out of the purchase.
Thanks again,
Sumbini
sumbini:
Sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience. Just take the loss as a lesson learnt. Doesn’t lessen the pain of losing $60 but others have lost over $400.
Thanks for stopping by and hope you’ll visit again.
Take care
emigre