Hi All,
Received an email from this guy about one of my domain names I have parked and for sale. I told him that while I would sell it, I was thinking of developing it and wasn't really all that interested in selling it. Anyway, here are the emails I got back from him and that's when I realized this was a scam.
Email Content>
Is it a developed site or just a domain name? We are mostly interested in domains without web content.
I need an appraisal for domains priced in your range.
Our partners (webmasters and domain owners) always recommend us to verify an independent appraisal first. It would be fair for both of us.
Do you have an appraisal certificate for your name? Please note that I don't trust free or unprofessional appraisals. It can be an appraisal certificate from www.FastDomainSales.com or www.GreatDomains.com or www.HollywoodDomains.com. It does not matter because they were recommended to me by experienced experts.
After I receive your appraisal we'll continue negotiations.
How do you prefer to get paid: PayPal, check or wire?
Looking forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Marc Miller
CEO
MCSD, MSCE
I responded with>
Hi Marc,
No it's not appraised and no, I'm not going to go there. As a business person (and I assume you are one from the emails you've been sending), you know that a product is worth whatever you can get for it above your cost. I own the domain name (no it is not yet a website), and that's the price it takes to buy it no matter if it's worth $5 or $5,000. I don't need an appraisal and neither do you. Appraisals fluctuate so widely as to be ridiculous anyway. If you are still interested in the name, fine, if not, I really didn't care if I sold it or not. I'm not trying to be rude, just honest.
Best Regards,
Sheila
His Resonse>
I understand you, but usually sellers provide buyers with appraisals. It's a common practice. Independent appraisers are involved in any serious purchase. It's a good practice to do business because nobody is going to lose money.>>>
After this, I told him he was more than welcome to get his own appraisal from any company he chose but I wouldn't be doing it.
Don't know the result of that yet.
A lot of you know about this scam, others of you don't. Don't fall for it. The scam is to get you to spend your money for the appraisal at the site they choose and then they decide they don't want to buy your domain name after all. (They've already got your money on appraisal and didn't want to buy it to start with.)
The real question I have here, is how could they lose money? If the potential buyer is not comfortable enough with the domain that he could do something with it, why would he want the thing in the first place? 2 of these sites have already made the rounds as a scam for this very same thing about a year ago.
Be careful, don't fall for this.
Thanks,
shendia
Received an email from this guy about one of my domain names I have parked and for sale. I told him that while I would sell it, I was thinking of developing it and wasn't really all that interested in selling it. Anyway, here are the emails I got back from him and that's when I realized this was a scam.
Email Content>
Is it a developed site or just a domain name? We are mostly interested in domains without web content.
I need an appraisal for domains priced in your range.
Our partners (webmasters and domain owners) always recommend us to verify an independent appraisal first. It would be fair for both of us.
Do you have an appraisal certificate for your name? Please note that I don't trust free or unprofessional appraisals. It can be an appraisal certificate from www.FastDomainSales.com or www.GreatDomains.com or www.HollywoodDomains.com. It does not matter because they were recommended to me by experienced experts.
After I receive your appraisal we'll continue negotiations.
How do you prefer to get paid: PayPal, check or wire?
Looking forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Marc Miller
CEO
MCSD, MSCE
I responded with>
Hi Marc,
No it's not appraised and no, I'm not going to go there. As a business person (and I assume you are one from the emails you've been sending), you know that a product is worth whatever you can get for it above your cost. I own the domain name (no it is not yet a website), and that's the price it takes to buy it no matter if it's worth $5 or $5,000. I don't need an appraisal and neither do you. Appraisals fluctuate so widely as to be ridiculous anyway. If you are still interested in the name, fine, if not, I really didn't care if I sold it or not. I'm not trying to be rude, just honest.
Best Regards,
Sheila
His Resonse>
I understand you, but usually sellers provide buyers with appraisals. It's a common practice. Independent appraisers are involved in any serious purchase. It's a good practice to do business because nobody is going to lose money.>>>
After this, I told him he was more than welcome to get his own appraisal from any company he chose but I wouldn't be doing it.
Don't know the result of that yet.
A lot of you know about this scam, others of you don't. Don't fall for it. The scam is to get you to spend your money for the appraisal at the site they choose and then they decide they don't want to buy your domain name after all. (They've already got your money on appraisal and didn't want to buy it to start with.)
The real question I have here, is how could they lose money? If the potential buyer is not comfortable enough with the domain that he could do something with it, why would he want the thing in the first place? 2 of these sites have already made the rounds as a scam for this very same thing about a year ago.
Be careful, don't fall for this.
Thanks,
shendia
