Beware New Scammer On Dp...got Scammed Last Night 21 Lll.com

[bgmv]

I am furious, I just got scammed out of 21 LLLL.com Godaddy domains last night on DP. The users name was ASH. Check the profile here, its flawless. Here is the info that was provided for change of registrant:

Michael Stearns
1269 Rinehart Road
Miami
Florida
33179
7864070208
email: [email protected]

He/she claims to have a partner and that their email is:

[email protected]

These are the names that I lost:

LPZT
MXIK
NKXC
NQVG
OGZH
OWXD
PRZJ
PZSN
QHYO
GJCQ GoDaddy 2/18/08---->$59
PQHY GoDaddy 10/31/2008--->$59
PQYT GoDaddy 10/31/2008---->$59
UZRK GoDaddy 8/2/2008---->$59 (live site .ru)
BQPG GoDaddy 7/8/2008---->$84
FOQH GoDaddy 7/16/08----->$175 (Pronouncable)
EBZP GoDaddy 7/08/08----->$89 (Ending P can be "Partners")
DTQG
FJXA
TKZD
HFZR
QPYE

Any help from anyone is greatly appreciated. I already contacted BlowDaddy and GayPal they are absolutely no help. "Nothing we can do on our end"

GreenGambler was also scammed. I need those names, that was my income, I was relying on them to pay my tuition and rent next semester. This sucks.

 

[nielsencl]

I checked the whois of one domain and saw it is parked at SEDO.com. I would contact them as well and see if they can suspend the disbursment of funds on those domains. Keep checking them every couple of days and if the domains are moved, contact the new parking company.

 

[nielsencl]

I have suggested that someone step forward and become the lead in gathering information on this scammer. This gives everyone a central point to report to and get information from. I don't have the time, but I can help with coordination and hosting of a site to publish FACTUAL information on this.

I can also provide instruction on gathering of information and doing some investigating. Only the very smart scammers can really hide their tracks, and if they can, they aren't going to be stealing a few domains.

The more people that are involved, the more information we can assemble, and build a tight case against the scammers. These idiots only feel they can get away with this stuff because people are not aware of the tools, data, and resource that are available. Working to expose them may result in the return of stolen property, but it will for sure raise awareness and make it harder for it to happen to someone else.

Consider sending out a press release to inform the media. You can do this pretty effectively for $30-$40 at PRWEB.

Use the domain monitor at Domaintools.com You can get emails when the whois information on your domains change. For those that are stolen, you can see if the scammer sells the domain to someone else and then contact them.

I suggest documenting EVERYTHING and same all emails. When possible, get phone numbers and email addresses from the scammer. Chat about the weather and try to get their physical location, anything you can. Ask about other domains. See if you can get a fax number, etc.

If you have been taken, don't blame the payment provider or the registrar (Even if they suck). Ask questions, tell them your story, but don't get angry at them since you may need their help later. Do file scam reports online and with the local police if you know where the scammer is located. The more reports that are filed, the more they take it seriously.

In the case of domains, I suggest you document what happened and then sending it to the registrar where your domains are now hosted, the parking provided the scammer is using (with a personal note), and all other parking providers and sites that sell domains. Getting fax numbers and faxing the report of stolen domains to broker sites may also be effective. If the scammer cannot park or sell the domains, they are no longer something of value, but a liability.

I am not a lawyer or in law enforcement, but if this happened to me, this is what I would be doing, along with letters to ICANN. On the one hand, this is no different that scams like the Nigerians have been running for years, but unlike those scams, the domains don't just disappear, but are out in the open for all to see and have an information trail that can be followed.

 

[bricio]

i am sorry bgmv
hope you have your names back
good luck

these scammers suck!!!

 

[drjeff]

how does this happen?

I'm a "newbie" at namePros - please explain how this happenned.

I assume it goes like this:

You offer names for sale, or the scammer offers to buy names.

You make a deal.

The scammer sends the money via paypal or ??

(Or did you transfer the names before you got paid?)

You transfer the names.

How do you get burned here? Unless the payment somehow bounces after you do the transfer?

If you have NOT been paiud, you could go to court and get the names back - they won't be able to transfer out of godaddy for 60 days, lots of time to fix it - I hope!

 

[VYFX]

I'm a "newbie" at namePros - please explain how this happenned.

I assume it goes like this:

You offer names for sale, or the scammer offers to buy names.

You make a deal.

The scammer sends the money via paypal or ??

(Or did you transfer the names before you got paid?)

You transfer the names.

How do you get burned here? Unless the payment somehow bounces after you do the transfer?

If you have NOT been paiud, you could go to court and get the names back - they won't be able to transfer out of godaddy for 60 days, lots of time to fix it - I hope!

Partially correct.. The scammer will offer to buy the names, a deal will be made, and the payment then sent. Once the payment is sent the seller transfers the names to the buyer. Then, often hours later or in the middle of the night, the 'buyer' will do a fraudulent chargeback on their payment claiming it was sent without their knowledge. Because PayPal doesn't investigate claims deeply they refund money instantly, and THEN start their investigation. Their investigations often leave the seller screwed regardless of what happens and a court case is then the only option. Court costs a LOT, so it's likely the seller will not pursue it. Scammers know this.

 

[~ The 34 Year Buzz!!]

I'm a "newbie" at namePros - please explain how this happenned.

I assume it goes like this:

You offer names for sale, or the scammer offers to buy names.

You make a deal.

The scammer sends the money via paypal or ??...

I was curious too, the plot seems to involve a stolen credit card:

SCAMMER. Payed for domain purchase via STOLEN CREDIT CARD.

 

[bgmv]

I transfered the domains and then recieved payment. I asked the buyer about 10 questions to verify their address and info, everything seemed fine, not to mention their 100% + feedback. I called GD and paypal, nothing can be done.

I just contacted the buyer via email.

 

[accuname]

I'll keep my eye out for anyone trying to resell the names.

 

[kleszcz]

I transfered the domains and then recieved payment. I asked the buyer about 10 questions to verify their address and info, everything seemed fine, not to mention their 100% + feedback. I called GD and paypal, nothing can be done.

I just contacted the buyer via email.

bgmv, Im sorry to hear that. Im pretty annoying what verification to use for legal account folder. PayPal and Godaddy are protecting scammers than victims. Keep updating your latest infos to us, we might find out your domains somewhere.

 

[RJ]

The scammer is phishing the passwords of reputable members on DigitalPoint, and using stolen PayPal accounts to buy the domains. Everything looks legit on the front when you see a positive Trader Rating on DigitalPoint and a verified PayPal account, but both accounts are hacked.

They have already tried stealing passwords of NamePros users as well using well constructed phishing pages that look like NamePros. We will be very proactive in preventing this, but will need everyone's help in reporting any phishy activity.

RJ

 

[GreenGambler]

The scammer is phishing the passwords of reputable members on DigitalPoint, and using stolen PayPal accounts to buy the domains. Everything looks legit on the front when you see a positive Trader Rating on DigitalPoint and a verified PayPal account, but both accounts are hacked.

They have already tried stealing passwords of NamePros users as well using well constructed phishing pages that look like NamePros. We will be very proactive in preventing this, but will need everyone's help in reporting any phishy activity.

RJ

Can we track the phishing pages down to the owners of the domains that are being used to phish? Maybe that will help us a little more in catching this theif.

 

[mntor]

I am very sorry to hear this mate. Sick scammers and Paypal suck big time. 21LLLL.coms are reasonably a huge asset and I wish you had atleast asked the scammer about making the payment through MoneyBookers or Escrow or Sedo Escrow. The scammer might have backed off and you would have got a clue.

Paypal are a No No to me for anything more than 300 bucks. I have got scammed a few number of times on DP but everytime only less than 25 bucks. You won't believe this, a person with trader rating 149 on DP scammed for the heck of $11. 2 months have passed and still no reply from him and I am really not sure if he is going to come back and pay me. Lol.

A few suggestions

1. I think NPers should be promoting and encouraging other types of payments like MoneyBookers (No chargebacks here), NP$ (I love this one), Escrow for anything more than $400-$500, Egold (No chargebacks here) etc.

2. You can ask for the domains the prospective buyer already owns for say a reasonable time (few months). We can check the whois name on these domains against the paypal name. Not sure how this can be bypassed but still an additional level of security i guess.

 

[bgmv]

Can we track the phishing pages down to the owners of the domains that are being used to phish? Maybe that will help us a little more in catching this theif.

Exactly!!!!! If anyone has the emails that were sent to them from the scammers please forward them to me.

If you take a look at the header of the email it should actually list the IP's of those that recieved the message and those that sent it. A simple IP trace should get you in the right direction, then you use ARIN and conduct a trace to see where that leads.

 

[psalzmann]

Next time you should consider Escrow. Sorry for your loss. Really I am

 

[Bill]

Can we track the phishing pages down to the owners of the domains that are being used to phish? Maybe that will help us a little more in catching this theif.

The scammer created a free site on freewebs. The site has already been taken down.

-Bill

 

[tytyqueen24]

I Hate Them With Passion.

 

[Amma]

I'm sorry to hear about that.

Report the crime at Internet Crime Complaint Center

Hope you will get back your domains soon

Amma

 

[bgmv]

I just reported it to IC3, this is going nowhere fast

 

[fonzie_007]

Sorry to hear about this. I am not sure of all of the circumstances, but is Paypal somehow saying they will not pay you due to this scam? If so, you may want to try writing a letter to the Better Business Bureau. If this sort of thing happened with a credit card, you still should get paid for your services and the credit card company picks up the brunt of the fraulent activity.

Hope things work out.

 

[nielsencl]

In my opinion PayPal needs to take more responsibility for scams like this. You and everyone else should be demanding their help, otherwise who will use their service?

Am I correct in thinking a delay of 12-24 hours would be enought to feel safe before transfering domains?

Sending letters to the registrars and ICANN are also options. If enough people make some noise it should get things to change. I'm willing to donate hosting if you want to put up a site to publish the details of the scam and your efforts to get it turned around. THE REGISTRAR THAT HAS THE DOMAINS NOW NEEDS TO KNOW AND GET THE TRANFER REVERSED!!! you have have proof that the payment was reversed right, get that to them and make them understand they have a scammer as a client.

 

[labrocca]

In my opinion PayPal needs to take more responsibility for scams like this. You and everyone else should be demanding their help, otherwise who will use their service?

Unfortunately that's a bad precedent to make. Paypal are not the police. However ICANN and Registrars can certainly undo the changes of a bad deal if they are presented with the proper evidence. Time and time again I have seen that the registrars are figuring out that they need to help protect customers. Paypal does have safeguards in place already but for virtual items it's impossible for them to really stop scammers. The best they can do is lock accounts and seize money IF it's still there.

Sorry for your loss bgmv. You have to be careful doing trades sir.

 

[nielsencl]

I'm on the phone with Godaddy. You can try [email protected]. I think you will need to provide all the information about the scam

Dispute on transfer away form
https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/pdf/TAdisputeform.pdf

This form is when someone has tranfered your domain away from you to another registar without your approval, but it may work in your case. I would explain what happened and ask that they make the scammer provide proof of payment.

Ok, the support rep got back to me and she now says that since the change of ownership was done at 0 dollars, it is a matter between you and the "buyer".

I would still try using that form above, but since you did approve the transfer it may not be effective.

I tried the phone number that you were given and it doesn't work now.

It's good that you reported this at Internet Crime Complaint Center as mentioned above, but I would also call the Miami police department and file a report there as well. Save all emails from the scammer. If you need some help with trying to track them down and gathering more information, please let me know, I'm glad to help....!

 

[vatsan]

Thats really sad bgmv. Like Chris said, try using the godaddy form. Atleast we will get to know how bad they treat their customers. I have already started moving my domains out of godaddy. Btw ppl, digg this http://digg.com/tech_news/Paypal_and_GoDaddy_Support_and_Protect_SCAMMERS_I_D_THEFT . I am sure paypal or godaddy will see this someday and help him.

 

[bgmv]

thanks alot everyone!!! the problem with PayPal is that I sold INTANGIBLE goods so I am not proetected under their seller protection.

The problem with GoDaddy is that the sale occured on a forum, a third party, not on TDNAM. They dont get involved with third party disuputes.

Nielsencl- the domains are still in GD, they will be there for 60 days and cant be transfered out of GD before that. I have made GD aware that the account [email protected] belongs to a scammer/phisher but they still will not reverse the transfer. Its sad and it sucks because these are both companies that pride themselves on their customer service and in this case arent doing dick about it but turning a blind eye

I checked the whois of one domain and saw it is parked at SEDO.com. I would contact them as well and see if they can suspend the disbursment of funds on those domains. Keep checking them every couple of days and if the domains are moved, contact the new parking company.

I actually parked all of them @SEDO. One was moved and that was TKZD.com - its now at BODIS. I already contacted them but have heard nothing.