question Australian non-profit wants my domain?

[133.ct]

I received the following email recently

Hi, my name is Emma.

I'm very interested in your domain example dot com. We are promoting a number of causes through our charity and would like to utilize this domain to raise awareness and donations.

Would you consider lending/leasing/selling it out to me so we could build a non profit blog on it? The site will not be used for anything commercial or spammy.

You'd still retain ownership, and I could use it while you're not utilizing the domain. This is something we can both get behind and you'll be contributing to a great cause!

Please get back to me as soon as you can, we're very excited about moving forward ASAP.

Best regards,
--
Emma Boyton
Assistant manager
Charity Help
m: 0488856274
a: 888 Collins st, Melbourne
w: www.charityhelp.com.au e: [email protected]

I have never leased/loaned or sold a domain before, so it is a bit out of my confront zone. Any tips on how to proceed?

 

[gilescoley]

It seems legit as she is the owner of that name. I would get them to make an offer. Leasing can be a real pain in the @ss

 

[karmaco]

I would just sell it to her for a fair price

 

[baseballworld]

Get the offer and move the name.

 

[133.ct]

It seems legit as she is the owner of that name. I would get them to make an offer. Leasing can be a real pain in the @ss

What is so bad about leasing?

 

[133.ct]

I would just sell it to her for a fair price

How would you determine fair price?

 

[gilescoley]

How would you determine fair price?

It depends what you paid for it, just go in at a price you would be happy with. Bare in mind its for a non-profit org so they probably wont be paying a lot

 

[UmerK]

I received the following email recently


I have never leased/loaned or sold a domain before, so it is a bit out of my confront zone. Any tips on how to proceed?

I haven't used them personally but undeveloped seem to have set up a leasing thing, perhaps dig a bit deeper into that and see how that works? Best of luck with that, cheers!

 

[DomainZombie]

I got an email from the same person once for a huge long domain name. Replies and never got anything back.

 

[D Gordon]

I received that exact email yesterday. I too am skeptical, because the domain she is interested in doesn't seem like it would have a lot of value for the purpose she said she has. It could have value in the right niche. Makes me wonder if this is a method for buying up domains and/or putting them up for resale and taking a cut. I also noticed that that Emma Boyton (same photo) is listed on LinkedIn as Client Operations Manager at EnergySmart, and she does list working for CharityHelp as a volunteer position. I'm not saying there is no legitimacy to this, but there's no track record for this company and there are too many red flags. Not sure I'll even reply.

 

[Ategy]

This has HUGE RED FLAGS for me !!!

Be careful .. first of all "she" talks about "a" charity .. singular .. but the name "Charity Help" implies more a service that helps other charities. As a domainer that little oddity should be noticed!

Just about everything about this letter screams scam. It's all justifications and vagueness .. with no real information.

I personally would not even reply to it.

NOTE: Now with a few of you getting the email it's 100% a scam ... don't even reply or you'll likely get more emails from other scammers!

 

[UmerK]

Avoid any further dealings, Looked up the number and name and trust me what i found is not good at all. As other people have said its scam, I keenly believe it indeed is.

 

[JoeE]

Another red flag is her saying
"You'd still retain ownership, and I could use it while you're not utilizing the domain."
Building a charity and putting your reputation at risk while the domain is owned by someone who you do not know anything about is crazy, to say the least. Leasing does not work for every venture especially charity. If she builds some trust on it, the domain owner stopped the lease and collecting money through the site and emails he'd be receiving. That's just nuts and can't be serious.

 

[133.ct]

OK, based on the replies here I decided not to reply

 

[deez007]

Wonder what her angle/game plan is... would have been interesting to see what the actual "con" is. Perhaps she was hoping she would find a few people who might end up "donating" the domain to her charity bcos of it being supposedly for a good cause... Well at least we can say this one is refreshingly original compared to the usual cr@p we are treated too..hahha (appraisal scams etc...)

 

[Lox]

Only 1 "Charity Help" Org found using the AU Database . Fake!

Kind regards

 

[D Gordon]

I think this answers the motive. This is a domain wholesaler/reseller. In checking the domain registration, the owner is Synergy Wholesale Pty Ltd. I can't post a link here, but a search will bring their site right up.

 

[133.ct]

Avoid any further dealings, Looked up the number and name and trust me what i found is not good at all. As other people have said its scam, I keenly believe it indeed is.

Only 1 "Charity Help" Org found using the AU Database . Fake!

Kind regards

Good catch ... way to get your CSI on, LOL!

 

[DigiNames]

I think this answers the motive. This is a domain wholesaler/reseller. In checking the domain registration, the owner is Synergy Wholesale Pty Ltd. I can't post a link here, but a search will bring their site right up.

Synergy Wholesale Pty Ltd is the Registrar of the domain, not the owner. They likely have nothing to do with this, other than the domain name was registered through their company.

 

[CarlosN]

I received two emails from that person for two different domains I have. The only thing in common about those domains is that they have strong backlink profiles. Does your domain has a lot of backlinks?

I think this is really a SEO agency trying to get cheap links.

 

[alcy]

just readin that email is quite obvious it was not written ONLY for you

 

[frank-germany]

Emma Boyton owns a lot of domain names
a lot
.de for example

I see her over and over again
when check for whois

 

[D Gordon]

Synergy Wholesale Pty Ltd is the Registrar of the domain, not the owner. They likely have nothing to do with this, other than the domain name was registered through their company.

Thank you for the correction. That company shouldn't be implicated.

I was beginning to see strange connections behind every tree. For example, if you look up the company EnergySmart Pty Ltd, which Emma Boyton's LinkedIn profile says is her primary employer, you'll find a lot of strange stuff including internet scam allegations. And she also is listed on one site as being connected to Joash Boyton, who has an even more colorful resume. A Joash Boyton was convicted of many counts of internet fraud.

 

[133.ct]

I received two emails from that person for two different domains I have. The only thing in common about those domains is that they have strong backlink profiles. Does your domain has a lot of backlinks?

I think this is really a SEO agency trying to get cheap links.

Yes this domain does have a strong backlink profile. It was one of the reasons I bought it a few years ago.

 

[UmerK]

As someone has pointed out it is related to Joash Boyton, now here we aren't talking about your everyday nigerian prince but this dude has actually served a jail term due to scams. The number comes up with name Joash Boyton - Red flag. The name itself Joash Boyton - Red flag. Funnily i live in Melbourne so looked up it in maps, didn't come up with any result, saw few shady companies including an solar energy dealer and web designer around same address.