Appraisal Scam Investigation [CLOSED]

[UKZJ007]

The foundation ideas of the ICCIA (International Cyber Crime Investigation Association - iccia.com) have just been set up by myself and a few other namepros members.

As you are all aware there have been a number of allegedly reported "domain appraisal" scams - Many namepros members have sufferred and now we have all decided to strike back against the scammer(s).

The plan of attack is to gather and document as much information as possible in regards to this scam and then reveal this information to the FBI and several other authorities. (BBC WatchDog, UK Police, AOL Security Team, Other ISP Security teams, Web Hosts involved e.t.c)

Victims will then communicate via the website (when launched - no date set yet) and other mediums to keep a track on progress. We will also arrange a "mass-charge-back" to our banks and carry on with tracking down this scammer as well as other scam incidents. The aim is to get a full refund for everyone involved or at the least track down and put an end to this scam incident.

After failing to "scam-bait" the scammer in the hopes of finding more information, we are now moving on to making this a legal issue.

Namepros members (to name just a few) have in total lost over thousands of dollars due to this scam incident.

This is now your chance to help track the scammer - We need as much information as possible:

- Email Headers
- Email contents
- Time of Emails
- All Tracking Attempt information
- All coresspondence with other companies
- Victim testimonials
- Victims known
- Speculations
- Anything important

I appeal to all members to work together on this project and help - I have been working hard over the last 72 hours or so (since I found out about this scam) to investigate this issue.

I am also appealing to the namepros admins to sticky this thread

Please add me on msn : [removed] if you wish to contact me personally or help in the development of this company.

Admin note: The thread starter has discontinued this project. Please do not contact him any more.

 

[Badger]

Good luck, not sure the 'world' is too interested in how some domain speculators got fleeced out of $30 for an appraisal by a bunch of russian scam artists who probably make only a few hundred bucks a month... but good luck, nonetheless...

This is small time, ive got most of their ip addresses if your interested but really, there are bigger and more important fights in which to fight if you have the time....

Dont mean too poo poo your plan but, as the mods here will concur, these guys arent rocket scientists and finding them is sooooo easy.. doing something about it is a different matter... They are moskovites

Fact, fast domain sales are a scam.... its a russian scam... ip's available on request..

Delving too deep will open you up to a potential counterattack you dont really want

Go easy bro and good luck in your endeavours

 

[UKZJ007]

Thanks, The IP infos will be of great use - $30 is the minimum victims can loose, usually its around $30-$70 per domain name.

The fact that this issue can be regarded as "trivial" is what lets the scammers get away, my philosophy is that no matter how large or small the sin - It's still a sin (in this case, a scam).

In regards to your "bigger battles to fight" comment, I agree - But we all gotta start someone where bro - This is a good starting point nevertheless - Thanks for your good wishings ... I urge everyone to help as much as possible.

 

[Fewski]

I have 15+ e-mails from this guy... One time he sent an e-mail from another account.. Maybe his realy one?

Will forward all e-mails and headers tonight

 

[UKZJ007]

Forward them all to removed - Thanks.

If you can also add a small testimonial (about how you feel, what should be done, what you want) which I will place on the investigation section of the new site (when launched) that would be appreciated!

 

[zaros64]

Good luck Zain Jaffer..
IF you need ANY support at all,ask me and ill see what I can do

 

[Eric]

Good luck man. :kickass:

 

[Badger]

What a surprise, I get involved in this kind of thread and then :bingo: I get myself a nice new "do you wanna sell mail.."

i was thinking of giving them my selling price of $0.10c.....

 

[PoorDoggie]

i don't have a clue what is going on here... I have never heard of anything like this

but I just want to wish you the best of luck with it, and hope (for want of a better phrase) "justice is served". :lol:

Good Luck

 

[Zeeble]

At the moment, what we really need is testemonials from people who have been scammed. The problem is that the scammer is only suggesting the sites and therefore it looks fairly legal, which, is why we need as many testemonials as possible saying that he never intended to buy the domains.

 

[armstrong]

Not just those who were scammed. You also want to compile as many as possible instances of similar email received from him, even if the email recipient did not respond. This will help show a pattern of fraudulent behavior over time.

Also, very useful would be email exchanges made with the scammer, such as you offering the domain for $50 or less. Since the fastdomains appraisal costs $50, he can't expect you to shell out $50 for an appraisal, when all you want is $50, right? Of course, after you make this low offer to sell, odds are good that you won't hear from him again.

 

[Zeeble]

Hi Armstrong,
good points there.
If you have made contact with the scammer we need to have copys of the emails so that we can see that he never intended to buy domains but just force people into buying appraisals.
Also, if anybody here would like to help in the process of building the ICCIA website please contact me.

Colin

 

[Mystic]

when i get emails like that, or emails such as my huband passed away and i need the money transerring blah blah, i reply to them, being all nice, becoming more interested in it, after a few emails pass, they get an email, and in the email is being nice again, with a link to a page with all abusive stuff on, calling them stuff, each scammer gets it personalised lol, they dont bother me, as i know i wont fall for them, but theres always a naivve person that will

 

[UKZJ007]

The site has just had a make over - http://www.iccia.org

 

[Humdizzy]

The site has just had a make over - http://www.iccia.org

Looks more like a CIA website that they have in movies.

 

[zaros64]

lol
heres an image on your site

haha

 

[crazy]

Hmm. that is a very interesting idea, good luck with it.

 

[Zeeble]

we are close to finding the scammers, we will be contacting their ISP tommorow, after that their information will be forwarded to the relevant authorities.
In regards to the site, we had a look at some other official websites such as FBI etc, and we thought that would do something which actually looks good.

 

[UKZJ007]

Looks more like a CIA website that they have in movies.

That's good, Right? :kickass:

 

[deu12000]

I sent you an email to the aol email address with the emails I got. In case you're wondering it's a verizon email address I sent it from.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

so what is he doing that's so illigal? asking about prices to buy a domain, but then just walking away? Sounds like more of a nusiance than violation to me, but I'm sure I'm missing something

 

[armstrong]

so what is he doing that's so illigal? asking about prices to buy a domain, but then just walking away? Sounds like more of a nusiance than violation to me, but I'm sure I'm missing something

If someone were to try this offline, he'd be arrested and charged for fraud, no doubt about it. Example:

- JohnScam works for FastHouseSales, or gets a share of their profits.
- JohnScam then randomly visits houses for sale, pretending to be very interested, but insists that he needs a professional appraisal from a trusted source. He names GreatHomes, AllForHouses and FastHouseSales as his trusted sources.
- GreatHomes is not in the business of appraisals, but only sells homes. AllForHouses is expensive at $500. FastHousesales costs only $250. So who do you think his prospects will go for? At $250, its not a large amount, considering that JohnScam says that he's thinking of paying your asking price of $250,000.

Scam and fraud through and through, and 100% illegal.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

Oh I get it know, I fell really really stupid... Must have gottn lost while reading tthe posts. Thanks Armstrong!

 

[Zeeble]

Scam and fraud through and through, and 100% illegal.

This is exactly why we need testemonials.

 

[equity78]

Who have you contacted that is going to follow up on this I doubt the FBI will they have much bigger things on their Plate at least I hope so, I hate these guys don't get me wrong but at the end of the day I don't even know if this is illegal, its dirty but to ask you to get an appraisal you can always say no this is very difficult I have gotten these emails in the past they are idiots but I would also think they monitor forums probably should discuss this on your website so they can't see. Good Luck