Bogus or Legit?

[jlwhite405]

I received this email today and am thinking it's spam but since I haven't done this for very long, I wanted to get confirmation from some experienced dealers on here.

I removed the name of the sender and the domain from the correspondence below.

Thanks

___________________________________________________________________________

1st email

Subject: Offer to purchase xxxxxxxx.com
> Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2015 01:45:59 -0700
>
> Hello!
>
> I represent an investor from Saudi Arabia who needs xxxxxxxx.com for a new project.
>
> Are you still interested in selling this domain? If so, please reply back to our email and I will provide you with further details how to proceed with the sale.
>
> Best Regards,


My reply

Hello!

Thank You for your interest in my domain. I do have plans for the domain but I am more than happy to entertain reasonable offers as my plans have not reached completion. If your client wishes to submit an offer just let me know.

Once again, I appreciate your inquiry. Have a great day!


2nd email


Previous messageNext messageBack to messages
Re: Offer to purchase xxxxxxxx.com‏
Re: Offer to purchase xxxxxxxx.com
VP Investor Relations
11:15 AM

My client offers a sum in $10,000 - $30,000 range. The exact figure will depend on the appraisal results (see below).

Before we go further we need only one thing from you:

My client is a professional investor and he buys certified domains only.

If your domain has been certified, please email me the certificate and we will proceed with the sale. If you don’t have a certificate it’s not a problem. I may send you a link where you can obtain it. Please don’t worry. It takes 1-2 minutes to order it. The results will be sent to you within 24 hours. Then you send me the certificate via email and we’ll proceed with the sale

The certification includes the following:

1. Independent valuation of the market price. It will show your domain name is not overpriced. On the other hand if the valuation comes higher we will increase the price accordingly.

2. Trademark infringement verification. It proves your domain has no trademark problems.

3. Verification of the owner. It proves you are a legitimate owner and your domain has no any obligations and restrictions. I’m sure that you are a legitimate owner so it will be only a formality.

As a broker I’m very interested in a good valuation part of this certificate because my client pays me a commission (10-15% of the sale price) on every domain purchase. So I’m not interested in a low price too.

You can read about the certificate agency at http://answers.google-answers.net/archive/threadview192710.htm (“Domain Broker” is my nickname).

The process is very easy:

1. Go to the certificate agency site and order a certificate. Just submit your domains and let them know you have a buyer with $X,XXX offer and need a valuation near this value. After several hours you will get the results. If the price in your certificate comes higher we will increase our offer accordingly.

2. Then send these results via email and we’ll proceed with the deal.

If you are new to the certification process I can help you with the step by step instructions.

Sincerely yours,
___________________________________________________________________________


Thanks for your help!

 

[silentg]

Appraisal scam. Buyer disappears after you pay for the appraisal.

 

[jlwhite405]

That's what I figured. Thanks for your reply!

 

[James Rodman]

i got one of these too from someone in "Spain". i told them to - - - - off .

 

[JyotiG]

Its an appraisal scam. They also send you a link to a forum in which it seems people have written good reviews or are discussing about the appraisal company. Both are bogus links and are only there in order to get the money from you to get an appraisal!

PS: I learnt this the hard way last year after wasting my money without researching

 

[SHINOJ G.S]

100% scam

 

[Paul123]

What is it with these scammers. I think most people see through it, but if they get 1 out of 100K responding then it must be worthwhile. I had one a few days ago from China suggesting I register a dot CN domain for 1000 euro.

Hmmmm - the words smell and rat spring to mind

Have a great weekend.

Best,
Paul

 

[NameFit]

This is most likely a scan.

 

[Nazz]

Appraisal scam.

I received a similar email a couple of weeks ago with the exact outlining of your email except they were from Norway.

 

[Cloud iVape]

what he said. "our company is interested in a project, we have xx,xxx$ available for your site, we need to verify your site for bla bla fuck you im linking you to my site acutally that says pro verications but in all reality its going into my pocket and im giving you a made up high estimate so you'll think that your sites worth even more than what we offered intentinioaly and then ill convince you to do as many as you want us to buy show us your list. we like them all! get them verfied , all first, then we'll pay " <-- if you believe me, then you should close your email no pun intended, just a joke but it is very decieving.. And from someone whos sold online from mmorpg accounts to ebay/amazon anything since i was 13, it had me actually read it.(but i was 5 days into buying domains.) -- hopethis helps someone . If someone is interetsed , they will leave skype, or phone, a website or some validation or security for your peace of mind. Youll notice if you ask for any sort of verificiation, they dont reply. Or they say thanks for your consideration, take care. I told them, well you said 56k, ill take 30k, you pay the verify. if you got so much money thaen 75$ verification isnt anything if u want my domain. blast them

No phone number, no website, no feedback - Dont spend any money or trade any domain before receiving payment via WU or MG, PP can chargebackif they stole a CC. Thats why i usually say for the PP owners to send me an email to just do another layer of security check.

Hope no one gets this email and is scammed, too good to be true means the money isnt in your account and your having to spend money to get money. (In regards to these type of scams etc.)

 

[SHINOJ G.S]

Hello!

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

Your domain name is at the top of his shortlist of names, and he would be prepared to pay up to US$18,000 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 Grundman

Domain Lawyer

123 European Domain Attorney

Zugerstrasse, 16

Cham

6330

Switzerland

41 709 14 72

 

[jlwhite405]

@James Rodman
@JyotiG
@SHINOJ G.S
@Paul123
@NameFit
@Nazz
@Cloud iVape

Thank you all for your help! I was 99.9% sure it was a scam but it just wanted to get your advice. At least I'll know for sure next time.

 

[jlwhite405]

delete

 

[Paul123]

and your having to spend money to get money. (In regards to these type of scams etc.)

CVape - you have hit the nail on the head. If anyone offers a large amount of cash BEFORE you give the funds of $xx or $xxx it is a scam. Ask them to take the cash from - your lottery win / buy a domain / a guy in Africa will share 10 million with you / You will get EU funding etc etc before you part with a cent.

IMO

Best,
Paul

 

[Cloud iVape]

yeah bud, this definately needs to get around. I might be newer to the domain namepro community, but I sure as hell would go out of my way to help prevent and or pursue some dirtbag that thinks they're smart. Im sure they're using VPN's and are in countries without laws governing this shit, but heh, my law of following an IP back to a dedicated ip back to the VPN and reporting fraud to release the person(S) in questions IP and well, a 5 meter diameter and a SP + name is all you need to go on a merc. journey. Some vpns require logging of mac address for liability of covering their ass and wont let you sign up when using a proxy thus giving you the exact pioint of retardation. From past experience, its coming from AU and EU unless some chinese are paying someone to make a grammatically correct email, thus deterring a first redflag right there. But anyways, hope anyone who actually might run into this isue or has reads this thread as its a new scam and you'll always bet they'll be another one. If you ever quesiton smething, tehres this thing called google, its a very useful tool. type in name, or site, or email.. see what you find. Nothing'? Type in a prime quote from the email, if its a scam, you can bet you're not thefirst to get it and somoene else will have said something about it somewhere, just like this thread may show up at somepoint when someone seeks out this verification. A name, with no number, no skype, no website , no website feedback + an offer that makes you think you hit the jackpot.. well, if you follow thru you might as wel hit yourself with a pot you had to jack because your broke from losing your portfolio.. :P Real shit though, informati0on is the key to walking through life with least issues as possible, dont deny yourself it.