Appraisal Scam

[gold2platinum]

By now anyone who has frequented these boards and owns a domain is familiar with the appraisal scam. I though I would post the latest one I received this morning. Yes, I know that there are several posts on this this scam already but if it keeps one person from wasting money then I have done my part.

Below is the email:

From:"[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Date:Mon, Feb 9, 2015 at 2:54 AM
Subject:Offer to purchase ***********.com


Hello!

I represent a businessman from EU and have been tasked with acquiring ***********.com for his new business project to be launched in May, 2015.

Your domain name is at the top of his shortlist of names, and he would be prepared to pay up to US$15,000 to secure this domain name.

Time is of the essence as he needs to secure the domain name as soon as possible, so his Corporate Communications department can prepare the relevant logos and letterheads.

I am available to discuss this transaction at your earliest convenience. I look forward to your reply.

If you have more domain names for sale, please email me the list. I may help you to find buyers for them.

Regards,

Aaron Bertman

Domain Lawyer

Vice President Investor Relations

123 European Domain Attorney

Zugerstrasse, 14

Cham

6330

 

[xull]

Dude, im also get the exact same email for my domain dated today. Is it a scam?

 

[gold2platinum]

Dude, im also get the exact same email for my domain dated today. Is it a scam?

Yes it is. If you reply to it they will tell you that before they make the purchase they will need you to get a professional appraisal done on the domain name. They then direct you to an appraisal service that they are affiliated with.

 

[tomcarl]

Scam. But if you want to have fun...

Do what I did... offer them the name for $100 and see what they say.

I responded with that because I knew it was a scam. They responded that I should raise my price because he worked on commission and his client was wealthy.

I responded I have no time and that I'll sell it to him for $100 Today and he can sell it to his client for $15K which is what his rich Japanese client wanted to pay.

No response. Fail.

 

[gold2platinum]

My response back:

"Normally I need to get an appraisal done. Which company should I buy one from this time?"

 

[SHINOJ G.S]

I got the same email . My reply "how much is the appraisal cost ?"

 

[Bilmer]

Thanks Gold2Platinum. This happened a week ago. I got email from him after registering my domain at sedo.com. It looked legit. He offered $15,000 in the 1st email. Then next day he offered $25,000. He said his wealthy client was becoming impatient and needed the domain fast. He wanted to set up the website before June with the domain.

So I quickly get the domain appraisal at the site he suggested. Paid Eur79. Then 30 min after paying the money, I sensed something was not right (my guts feeling) and I googled his name, Aaron Bertman, and landed at this forum.

I quickly called the Mastercard center and asked them to cancel the transaction but they said they couldn't do anything as the transaction was successful.

Then I checked that they used Share-It (like Paypal) for the transaction. I emailed Share-it within that 30 min and asked for refund. I referenced this very URL (this forum) to them that Aaron Bertman is a scammer. Share-It trusted the info from this forum and cancelled the transaction and asked them (the appraisal company) to refund the money. Result: They refunded the money.

He (Aaron Bertman) will be here reading this forum any time soon. After successfully got my money back I replied to his email and said point blank that HE IS A SCAMMER and pointed him the link to this forum.

 

[UltraNames.com]

Thanks Gold2Platinum. This happened a week ago. I got email from him after registering my domain at sedo.com. It looked legit. He offered $15,000 in the 1st email. Then next day he offered $25,000. He said his wealthy client was becoming impatient and needed the domain fast. He wanted to set up the website before June with the domain.

So I quickly get the domain appraisal at the site he suggested. Paid Eur79. Then 30 min after paying the money, I sensed something was not right (my guts feeling) and I googled his name, Aaron Bertman, and landed at this forum.

I quickly called the Mastercard center and asked them to cancel the transaction but they said they couldn't do anything as the transaction was successful.

Then I checked that they used Share-It (like Paypal) for the transaction. I emailed Share-it within that 30 min and asked for refund. I referenced this very URL (this forum) to them that Aaron Bertman is a spammer. Share-It trusted the info from this forum and cancelled the transaction and asked them (the appraisal company) to refund the money. Result: They refunded the money. Thanks for the info from this forum!

Happy for you, it shows that we just have to keep talking about his scam...

 

[DomainZombie]

Aaron Bertman is just one of the many names they sign their shit with.
The outcome is always the same. Please go buy appraisal/certificate whatever from this link.
In my case it is tооls.dоmаinnаmеtооls.nеt/сrt.htm (a whole bunch of letter changed in cyrilic)

 

[JyotiG]

Hi,
I received an email like this last year and guess what I fell for it
I actually got the domain appraised for 110 Euro and after an hour or so
googled the person's name and got to know about the appraisal scam!!
I learned it the hard way and lost money as well.
I did email that person back telling him that he is a spammer and he kept on repeating that he is a genuine
person.
Of course, I didn't tell him that I had already fallen for his trap and lost the money.

 

[JyotiG]

And yes I got the following email

On Tue, Aug 12, 2014 at 5:46 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello!

I'm a broker of an investor from Churchill (Canada). He wants to buy ************.com.

My client has $527,000 budget for 40-50 domains. Please specify your asking price in the subject of your message.

Our company is in a web hosting business. We also provide brokerage services for domain buyers.

If you have other domains please email me the list with prices. I may offer your domains for sale to my clients.

How can we transfer money to you (escrow, wire, Paypal or Western Union)?

Best Regards,

Michael Zollenberg

Vice President | VPCSpace Hosting Solutions

Switzerland
Basel
Centralbahnstrasse 15
Phone: 061 259 41 628

 

[Electric-Shadow]

This is nothing new, I can't really say I have sympathy if you fell for this @JyotiG without even doing research. Remember kids, Google is your friend!

 

[JyotiG]

This is nothing new, I can't really say I have sympathy if you fell for this @JyotiG without even doing research. Remember kids, Google is your friend!

I know...Felt so stupid at that time.

 

[Ferenzcy]

I got this today

Hello!

I represent a private investor from Toronto. He needs exxxxxxxxxxl.com for his new project. The project will be launched in May, 2015.

My client would be prepared to pay a sum between $15000 and US$23000 to secure this domain name.

Time is of the essence as he needs to secure the domain name as soon as possible, so his Corporate Communications department can prepare the relevant logos and letterheads.

I am available to discuss this transaction at your earliest convenience. I look forward to your reply.

If you have more domain names for sale, please email me the list. I may help you to find buyers for them.

Regards,

David Morris


Domain Lawyer

307-6080 Young St

Halifax

B3K 5L2

Canada

 

[JyotiG]

This has been going on forever now...I fell for it but I hope the newbies do their due diligence before falling prey to such scams