I parked a bunch of my domains at Sedo recently and received the following spam SCAM. Watch out for these, there are plenty out there. It's easy to get excited that somone is willing to buy your domain (and overpay at that) but remember that if it sounds too good to be true - it is. This guy's schtick is that he expresses interest in your domain then claims he needs an "independent" appraisal. He just wants you to use his "company" to buy a domain appraisal. Hope this helps anyone who's contacted by this jerk in the future.
from
UTS Technologies <ceo@utepils.com>
hide details May 22 (1 day ago)
to
generatewealth@gmail.com
date
May 22, 2007 5:10 AM
subject
goldmastercard.net (sent 05/22/07)
Hello,
I've found your domain listed for sale.
Just send an email with your asking price in Euro or USD for the domain name.
Domain market is so hot now. Have you heard about recent multi-million dollars sales?
Our company develops software for a large corporation. 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,
John Champoux, Ph. D.
CEO
UTS Technologies
============================================================================
NOTICE - This communication may contain confidential and privileged
information that is for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any
viewing, copying or distribution of, or reliance on this message by
unintended recipients is strictly prohibited. If you have received this
message in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message
and deleting it from your computer.
===========================================================================
I need to know the lowest price you can accept.
What is your price range: $10,000 or $15,000 or even higher?
Please send it to me via email as soon as possible.
===========================================================================
Looks like domain market is hot now. Porn.om sold recently for $9,000,000!
Porn.com sold for $9m | 901am
Let's talk about our deal now.
20,000 USD. Ok.
Do you sell the name only without web site? I'm interested in the name so web site is not so important.
Do you have an appraisal certificates for your domain names? As fas I know it's a common practice to show appraisal of domain name (even without traffic and web site) before doing business.
Without appraisal I risk to overpay. In other words I won't be able to make a profit on reselling this name. It's very important for you and me to know the current market value of your domains.
Of course, we must be sure that you are engaging an appraisal company with REAL manual service. I heard many appraisal companies often made inaccurate auto-generated appraisals. I will only accept appraisals from independent sources I trust.
To avoid mistakes I asked domain experts about reputable appraisal companies in a forum
Domain Talk
Just check this posting.
If the appraisal comes higher you can adjust your asking price accordingly. I also hope you can give me 10% - 15% discount of the appraised value.
After I get an appraisal from you we'll continue our negotiations.
How do you prefer to get paid: www.escrow.com, www.PayPal.com check or wire?
Hope we can come to an agreement fast.
Looking forward to your reply.
============================== =============================================
I need a proof that our price is fair. I hope you understand the importance
of this question.
Usually, people who are selling names or web sites, provide buyers with
appraisals. This is a common practice and I'm not going to change this rule
because it's the best way to protect an investment.
Anyway, you won't be able to sell without professional appraisal.
I heard many appraisal companies often made inaccurate appraisals. So I
cannot accept appraisal from each and every site. I will only accept
appraisals from independent appraisal companies I know and trust.
Reading responses from experienced sellers I was impressed by one reply:
"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 $60-$65 are not
manual and the results are generated by special scripts. I don't trust
auto-generated appraisals."
The same is true for GoDaddy and SEDO. Their services are not manual. They
are just collecting money using their well-known names.
Thank you for understanding. I'm looking forward to do business with you.
============================== =============================================
That's all the emails he sent me. Just watch out for him and similar scams - you can never be too careful. I'm posting all the stuff he sent me so that if people google his name or company they can find out more about his scam. I found out about him this way myself by googling his company and ran across a thread on Namepros that talks about his scam, so I'm posting it here for WF members to beware and also to help out interested SE-users in the future. :boid::repuke::action-smiley-052:
from
hide details May 22 (1 day ago)
to
date
May 22, 2007 5:10 AM
subject
goldmastercard.net (sent 05/22/07)
Hello,
I've found your domain listed for sale.
Just send an email with your asking price in Euro or USD for the domain name.
Domain market is so hot now. Have you heard about recent multi-million dollars sales?
Our company develops software for a large corporation. 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,
John Champoux, Ph. D.
CEO
UTS Technologies
============================================================================
NOTICE - This communication may contain confidential and privileged
information that is for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any
viewing, copying or distribution of, or reliance on this message by
unintended recipients is strictly prohibited. If you have received this
message in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message
and deleting it from your computer.
===========================================================================
I need to know the lowest price you can accept.
What is your price range: $10,000 or $15,000 or even higher?
Please send it to me via email as soon as possible.
===========================================================================
Looks like domain market is hot now. Porn.om sold recently for $9,000,000!
Porn.com sold for $9m | 901am
Let's talk about our deal now.
20,000 USD. Ok.
Do you sell the name only without web site? I'm interested in the name so web site is not so important.
Do you have an appraisal certificates for your domain names? As fas I know it's a common practice to show appraisal of domain name (even without traffic and web site) before doing business.
Without appraisal I risk to overpay. In other words I won't be able to make a profit on reselling this name. It's very important for you and me to know the current market value of your domains.
Of course, we must be sure that you are engaging an appraisal company with REAL manual service. I heard many appraisal companies often made inaccurate auto-generated appraisals. I will only accept appraisals from independent sources I trust.
To avoid mistakes I asked domain experts about reputable appraisal companies in a forum
Domain Talk
Just check this posting.
If the appraisal comes higher you can adjust your asking price accordingly. I also hope you can give me 10% - 15% discount of the appraised value.
After I get an appraisal from you we'll continue our negotiations.
How do you prefer to get paid: www.escrow.com, www.PayPal.com check or wire?
Hope we can come to an agreement fast.
Looking forward to your reply.
============================== =============================================
I need a proof that our price is fair. I hope you understand the importance
of this question.
Usually, people who are selling names or web sites, provide buyers with
appraisals. This is a common practice and I'm not going to change this rule
because it's the best way to protect an investment.
Anyway, you won't be able to sell without professional appraisal.
I heard many appraisal companies often made inaccurate appraisals. So I
cannot accept appraisal from each and every site. I will only accept
appraisals from independent appraisal companies I know and trust.
Reading responses from experienced sellers I was impressed by one reply:
"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 $60-$65 are not
manual and the results are generated by special scripts. I don't trust
auto-generated appraisals."
The same is true for GoDaddy and SEDO. Their services are not manual. They
are just collecting money using their well-known names.
Thank you for understanding. I'm looking forward to do business with you.
============================== =============================================
That's all the emails he sent me. Just watch out for him and similar scams - you can never be too careful. I'm posting all the stuff he sent me so that if people google his name or company they can find out more about his scam. I found out about him this way myself by googling his company and ran across a thread on Namepros that talks about his scam, so I'm posting it here for WF members to beware and also to help out interested SE-users in the future. :boid::repuke::action-smiley-052:
)