IT.COM

WARNING: How to Avoid Domain Scams and Scammers

NameSilo
Watch
Prevention:

Google the domain (also try adding words like stolen, scammed, help, missing, etc), asking other domainers about the domain in question, checking the various marketplaces and making sure things add up... The biggest single indicator of a potential scam is the price. A scammer will want to price the domain low enough that it sells before he gets caught. Keep a watchful eye on new members. Recently modified whois is another warning sign. If other indicators are present (ex. extremely low price), proceed with extreme caution.

Some known scams:

1. Appraisal Scam -- If they ask for an appraisal, it's probably a scam.

2. Snail mail scam letters -- Letters through the mail reminding you to renew your domains from companies which aren't your current registrar

3. Compromised web-based email accounts and keyloggers -- Using an email provided to you by your Internet Service Provider is generally safer than web-based email solutions. There have been known security flaws in certain webmail applications in the past (ex. Gmail) which made compromising member accounts considerably easier than guessing a password. Understand the risks involved with using a web-based solution. Download spyware software such as Adaware Lavasoft and scan your computer daily. Keyloggers are A) easy to put on someone's computer and B) potentially catastrophic to a web based business.

4. Unauthorizing funds (particularly bad with Paypal). Paypal makes it very easy to create chargebacks. Don't accept large amounts by Paypal unless you're dealing with people you absolutely trust. Moneybookers/Escow.com are a step above Paypal, however the best option would be to go with a true escrow service such as Sedo Escrow, Moniker Domain Escrow Service or EscrowDNS.

5. Emails saying your domain requires renew/transfer/you to take a certain action. Check the email and make sure that A) it's from your registrar and B) the url mentioned matches what your registrar's would be. Safer to just visit the registrar than click the links in the email.

6. Incorrect Whois emails -- if your whois isn't incorrect, beware. Phone your registrar if you think they made a mistake.

7. Traffic/Click Fraud -- Self explanatory. If it isn't direct navigation it shouldn't be sold as such. Due diligence is required here.

8. Hijacking -- If you use one of your own domain names as the nameserver, be sure to make sure it doesn't expire or someone could fraudulently gain control of your domains.

9. Escrow.com is NOT 100% safe. They do not cover stolen domains -- buyer beware. Don't think processing a "bargain" through Escrow.com won't potentially end in you being out money. In the event a domain is stolen from someone's account, the domain WILL be returned to the original owner and you'll be out whatever you paid for the domain.

10. One thing I should add: Most free webmail providers will delete accounts after certain periods of inactivity. A clever scammer could notice that your Hotmail/Yahoo/other webmail account had expired, register that same email address (which is now available) and then proceed to "Request Password" at various registrars using what was previously your email address. If you plan on using your webmail infrequently, it's recommend you verify what amount of inactivity is tolerable and won't result in email account deletion.
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Idees said:
Thanks!

It has been a while since we completed the transaction, so I must say that serge20 is a very reliable and is not a scammer. :)

I would like to report a suspicious person that I would NOT do business with:

Mark Taylor ([email protected])
a.k.a.
"ManKat"
"sunny23"
"Mark.Taylor"

He does business via email and demands that you push first, or that you push half, and then he send you payment.

In the entire conversation I had with him, he was acting very suspicious.


Thanks for the heads up Idees. I will keep a lookout for this guy
 
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Here there is another member that I would be careful dealing with:

he`s just been banned at DP and his username there was

zellomesh

Despite I made it VERY CLEAR that I don`t accept PayPal , that`s what he wrote me:

I dont have a mb account only pp, would that be ok ? I'm a well trusted membere here since may 2007 but if u dont trust me I can wait for the funds to clear in your pp account too as well.

let me know,
zellomesh


I have my good reasons to refuse PayPal. :music:
 
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For anyone who doesn't know:

Even if the funds clear your bank account, Paypal will still use any means necessary (including sending a collections agency after you) in order to be able to uphold their scammer-friendly Buyer Protection Policy in the event of a "chargeback" or "dispute". Paypal does little in the way to verify and I'm at a serious loss why some domainers still think Paypal is great (until they get scammed).

World would be so much better and easier if everyone used Moneybookers...
 
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I just found another thing about zellomesh (which has just joined NP):

http://www.namepros.com/domains-for-sale-auctions/491152-rzdu-com-1-start-premium-llll.html

Payment: PayPal, NP$ (0.02), MoneyBookers


Didn`t he told me just 2 days ago that he did not have a MB account?

Ok, he may just have opened it but...???

Another RED FLAG on that member:

WHOIS RZDU.com

Administrative Contact:
Singh, Sunny [email protected]
na
Islington Avenue
Rome, 34252
Italy
+92.234234232


WHOIS ZMBU.com

Administrative Contact:
Arvee, veethars [email protected]
9 Kliensent Street
Istabnul, New Mexico 34252
Turkey
+30.3425234512



And, on top of all this, he claimed to have ALREADY SOLD ZMBU.com, look:

http://forums.DigitalPoint/showthread.php?p=8449326#post8449326

Then check post #23 :

http://forums.DigitalPoint/showpost.php?p=8440253&postcount=23


Ok, now I can say it: he`s a scammer, and not even a clever one.

He`s currently trying to scam lots of people on NamePros.
 
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italiandragon said:
I just found another thing about zellomesh (which has just joined NP):

http://www.namepros.com/domains-for-sale-auctions/491152-rzdu-com-1-start-premium-llll.html




Didn`t he told me just 2 days ago that he did not have a MB account?

Ok, he may just have opened it but...???

Another RED FLAG on that member:

WHOIS RZDU.com

Administrative Contact:
Singh, Sunny [email protected]
na
Islington Avenue
Rome, 34252
Italy
+92.234234232


WHOIS ZMBU.com

Administrative Contact:
Arvee, veethars [email protected]
9 Kliensent Street
Istabnul, New Mexico 34252
Turkey
+30.3425234512



And, on top of all this, he claimed to have ALREADY SOLD ZMBU.com, look:

http://forums.DigitalPoint/showthread.php?p=8449326#post8449326

Then check post #23 :

http://forums.DigitalPoint/showpost.php?p=8440253&postcount=23


Ok, now I can say it: he`s a scammer, and not even a clever one.

He`s currently trying to scam lots of people on NamePros.

Thank you for this! zellomesh was trying to purchase a domain from me the other day. Thank god he never sent the money and I never sent the domain!
 
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FPForum said:
Thank you for this! zellomesh was trying to purchase a domain from me the other day. Thank god he never sent the money and I never sent the domain!

You`re welcome but you know I did warn you for the last time guys as I don`t have anymore time for this and not even for me :(

I wish you could understand that the scammers will simply use other username and keep trying to do those scams.

Just quit using PayPal please and you`ll be safe, use MoneyBookers!

Best regards
 
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Okay, so he created a dupe account.

Is he banned yet?
italiandragon said:
His username when I checked few hours ago said joined in July 2008.
 
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Actually, the one I got contact from was:
zellomesh.com
 
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WARNING:

Xandomains (banned member) is Yang Xin from Shanghai and is involved in the fraud of a minimum $12,000 worth short domain names (including ZRU.com).


He's been banned at both DNF and Namepros, however he has managed to defraud at least 2 domainers by hacking into their eNom accounts (still not sure how he managed to do this).

If anyone has further information, please let me know. You can do it anonymously by email to reece(at)bqb.com if you'd like.
 
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dang...you guys are like CSI-NP. Good deal......excellent!!!
 
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Zellomesh = Mark Taylor ([email protected])
a.k.a.
"ManKat"
"sunny23"
"Mark.Taylor"
"Wampu"
"James Hakim"(hack em!) He tried to scam me today, and now i find out last week too. Tried to sell me Zmbu.com Rzdu.com and two others(as Wampu on Sitepoint), today under (ManKat on sitepoint) hes trying to sell me another NP members domains. It seems hes going to try pull a charge back scam on NP user Randomo, and offload them onto me.
 
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If you're buying llll.com on DP, please be aware of new members -whynot- and -master-of-?-.
The names could be from previous fraud dealings.

They are selling names at less than $20 a piece, but those names are the same names which are from banned NP members

Check these threads too.
http://www.namepros.com/domains-for-sale-auctions/456443-package-of-llll-com-up-sell.html
http://www.namepros.com/warnings-and-alerts/451269-lookin-for-3-chars-scammer-alert.html

Username Usergroup Email Join Date Last Login Posts
randan Account Closed [email protected] 01-18-2008 04-05-2008 12
web_design20 Account Closed [email protected] 04-05-2008 04-11-2008 3
Smartdragon Account Closed [email protected] 01-05-2008 01-08-2008 6
6deal9 Account Closed [email protected] 01-08-2008 01-13-2008 1
 
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A few people have been getting scammed on DNF by user: inbrownstockings and miholdem
 
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This guy busted today here on NP's, any names here currently missing by anyone?

RE: Domains for sale‏
From: Korkusuz Santor ([email protected])
Sent: Sunday, 17 August 2008 6:37:54 AM
To: $$$$$$ ([email protected])


TSHZ.com - Manage.SnapNames.com
JIVF.com - Manage.SnapNames.com
XJPJ.com - Manage.SnapNames.com
QPGZ.com - Manage.SnapNames.com
QRNP.com - Manage.SnapNames.com
OZBQ.com - Manage.SnapNames.com
ZKKZ.NET - Manage.SnapNames.com
 
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wow thats everybody for keeping us all update in here..!
 
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I wanna ask something,

there is somebody now offering me a very good deal for my domains, also he is saying that we will use escrow.com

I think it is safe then?
or he can scam me also by escrow.com ?
 
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Toldo said:
I wanna ask something,

there is somebody now offering me a very good deal for my domains, also he is saying that we will use escrow.com

I think it is safe then?
or he can scam me also by escrow.com ?

You cannot be scammed using escrow. They are a third party company that will take the money from him, then take the domain to you..then send the domain to him - and the money to you. Escrow is 100% safe
 
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FPForum said:
Toldo said:
I wanna ask something,

there is somebody now offering me a very good deal for my domains, also he is saying that we will use escrow.com

I think it is safe then?
or he can scam me also by escrow.com ?

You cannot be scammed using escrow. They are a third party company that will take the money from him, then take the domain to you..then send the domain to him - and the money to you. Escrow is 100% safe

Then if he offering an extremly high offer and the escrow started then no scamming could happen, right?
 
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FPForum said:
You cannot be scammed using escrow. They are a third party company that will take the money from him, then take the domain to you..then send the domain to him - and the money to you. Escrow is 100% safe

This is incorrect, Escrow.com only handles the transfer of the payment, they do not/cannot force the other party to deliver the domain name.
I personally would use Sedo for this type of transaction, they are a "true" escrow service whereby they have payment and domains in their control before doing the switch.
 
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Len said:
FPForum said:
You cannot be scammed using escrow. They are a third party company that will take the money from him, then take the domain to you..then send the domain to him - and the money to you. Escrow is 100% safe

This is incorrect, Escrow.com only handles the transfer of the payment, they do not/cannot force the other party to deliver the domain name.
I personally would use Sedo for this type of transaction, they are a "true" escrow service whereby they have payment and domains in their control before doing the switch.

That means, if escrow had the money for 15 days after domain transfer so that he can't take it back, then releasing it to the buyer. no scamming could happen from both of them.
 
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