offers Google just offered me $300K! ?

[EbookLover]

Hi,

Now, before you start thinking "GREAT!!!!", not so fast.

Here is my dilemma.

I regged an AdSense-related .COM domain about 6 months ago. I am not willing to divulge the domain right now, but it's a pretty damn good one.

I bought it and parked it at Fabulous in my account.

About 2 months ago, I got an offer through Fabulous for $100 by some random person named Mike (no last name given) who had a Gmail email account. I refused the offer as it is worth more than that to me, even though it's undeveloped. I'd rather just keep it an never get an offer for it to be honest with you rather than let it go for that little.

So anyway, tonight I got home and checked my email. Fabulous sent me notice that I go another offer for the domain. This is the info they gave me...

Offer Details
Domain: XXXXXXXX.com
Name: Rose Hagan
Email: [email protected]
Offering Price: $300000.00
Additional Comments: Google Inc.

Now at first, I thought, hey, it's obviously a bogus offer. I mean, not only is the price way too high but it seems odd that Google would want to buy a domain for so much money and contact me through Fabulous instead of by a more legit means like US mail.

But I thought that maybe Google did make me an offer for it but added too many zeros by accident. Maybe they meant to input 3000 or 300.

I checked out the email address ([email protected]) and it is the email address that Google uses in their whois for some domains they own. So it is in fact a Google email address.

My newest thought, though, is that some wise-a$$ decided to cause some trouble hoping that I would contact Google at the email address and then possibly get into legal trouble with them for attempting to accept an offer for an AdSense domain. Who knows? Could be. I did a search for Rose Hagan and found that she is the senior trademark counsel at Google.

As you may or may not know, Google owns the SM for AdSense but I don't think that they own full SM or TM for it since Adsense.com (an advertising agency) has been around way before Google AdSense was even publicly released. Whether I am right or wrong, I have no clue, just my speculation. If I am right, then they cannot easily bully the domain away from me as I could have registered it in relation to AdSense.com advertising agency, not Google's AdSense. I could be sorely mistaken, though.

So, if this were you, what would you do? Would you ignore it? Why?

Would you follow through and send the email to Rose Hagan at [email protected] even though it i smost likely not her direct email address? Why?

I just don't know what to do. While I know the price is unbelievable, something is telling me that I'd be a fool to follow through. However, the other part of me is saying I'd be a fool to NOT follow through. Hoping that some here might be able to help me figure out what I should do. The more I think about it, the more confused I get as what to do.

The more I think about it now, the more I think FOGEDDABOUDIT! but I would still like to hear from others on this for some good conversation if for nothing else.

Thanks.

 

[BurninDragon08]

I wish I would get offered that amount for a domain I owned!

 

[EbookLover]

IMO you can throw the option about Google trying to contact you, to get you to agree, just to sue you out the window. That's something a shady company would do, they have better things to do then mess with you over a parked domain name.

Strange.

 

[TLDnetworks]

Boo!

I think that's the real story.
Quite the thread though with some interesting takes on how to play the game...

 

[EbookLover]

I wish I would get offered that amount for a domain I owned!

What's the point if it is bogus?

 

[combs84]

OK so if you believe Google is ordering a setup mission to steal your domain and then plan a huge lawsuit against the famous "Ebooklover" and take you for all your worth(for a parked domain name at that), then believe that. Doesn't seem realistic to me. If they wanted to sue you they would do it, they wouldnt offer you a pretend 300K offer on the domain. Thats gotta be illegal in itself.

This is obviously 1 of 2 things IMO.

1. A Legit Offer. Unlikely, but maybe.

2. Somebody effing with you.

 

[Joe123]

Isn't this the most compelling thread for a long time?

It contains the works: suspense, a good guy (EbookLover), bad guys? (the G company? An imposter?), big amounts of money, a potentially life-changing situation, and a completely open final chapter.

Let's hope for EbookLover the dream scenario comes true!

 

[slaughterbeck]

Who needs to watch “Lost” when we have “Google just offered me” the series?

 

[cache]

I agree with you. Someone needs to publish this story and make real money from the story alone . Who has the copy right of this story? Should I first claim it ?

Isn't this the most compelling thread for a long time?

It contains the works: suspense, a good guy (EbookLover), bad guys? (the G company? An imposter?), big amounts of money, a potentially life-changing situation, and a completely open final chapter.

Let's hope for EbookLover the dream scenario comes true!

You forgot to mention that during the course of this story, there might be couple of ex-gfriends somewhere there (hope ebooklover can take this light joke).

We should also discuss some politics and religion just to make it complete

 

[touchring]

OK so if you believe Google is ordering a setup mission to steal your domain and then plan a huge lawsuit against the famous "Ebooklover" and take you for all your worth(for a parked domain name at that), then believe that. Doesn't seem realistic to me. If they wanted to sue you they would do it, they wouldnt offer you a pretend 300K offer on the domain. Thats gotta be illegal in itself.

This is obviously 1 of 2 things IMO.

1. A Legit Offer. Unlikely, but maybe.

2. Somebody effing with you.

I agree, an offer + acceptance = deal. You can sue Google for that $300K. That's why i said, this must be bogus.

 

[cache]

If it is in fact a trap, can you sue google for initiating the trap?

I agree, an offer + acceptance = deal. You can sue Google for that $300K. That's why i said, this must be bogus.

 

[DOMiNIC]

I think the weirdest thing of all is why an offer was made at $300,000!!!

Google is a publicly traded comany. They are answerable to there stock holders. Does your domain represent $300,000 of value to Google Investors.

Offering $300,000 for a domain without first offering $30,000???

Sounds a little strange to me.

 

[Shorty]

Do fabulous not charge a commission for domains sold through their service? I would think a Google official would be smart enough to email you directly rather than offer through them.
However, i'm sure if Google hadn't taken action against you after 6 months, they have a reason. They could probably sue you for less than $300k.
So there you have it, argues for and against. It's a sticky situation, and considering the size of the offer, you have every right to be suspicious. I would reccomend emailling them, purely because I think that they would take legal action if they could rather than offer you money.

 

[Gene]

I would think a Google official would be smart enough to email you directly rather than offer through them.

Not necessarily. For an amount this big, an escrow service is needed. That's why Fabulous or any other escrow service would be an important player in the transaction.

Offering $300,000 for a domain without first offering $30,000???

It would make no sense if in fact Google was interested in the name. They'd start low and work from there. But in the outside chance that this is truly Google trying to set a trap, then it would make some sense. Throwing a huge number out right up front would make most people click the 'accept' button without thinking twice about it.

That being said, I seriously doubt Google has anything to do with this.

 

[OvenMitt]

One note:
THEY made the offer to YOU

Therefore, that is NOT sufficient to show that you intended to profit from any TM.

Just wanted to clarify, since someone above said otherwise.

If they come to you, rather than the other away around, it does not show a motive to profit in your registering.

that's all.

 

[ponyone]

This is like the cyber equivelant of cops pretending to be hookers to catch johns.

Keep your e-pants on and be careful.

 

[Shorty]

I never thought of it that way Gene, but Google would probably not pay first. :P

 

[OvenMitt]

This is like the cyber equivelant of cops pretending to be hookers to catch johns.

Keep your e-pants on and be careful.

Sort of... except entrapment is very different for "criminal" activities rather than those with primarily civil penalties.

In any event: Cops can do whatever the F they want. Google can't. (No smart ass comments here. We all know they're powerful, but no need for hyperbole)

 

[Badger]

This is a total crock of s* this thread.

1. I would have deleted the email after reading the first two lines
2. no-one in their right mind would surely believe this offer to be genuine, spoof or otherwise.
3. this site is called name 'pros' not name 'turkeys'. (at least it was when i last looked).

But if you are truly serious and want a way round this, you might want to consider reply using the words "may", "might be", "would consider", and labelling any communication to them with the words "without prejudice".

No save that, just look at points 1 thru 3 above.

 

[Simsi]

This is a total crock of s* this thread.

1. I would have deleted the email after reading the first two lines
2. no-one in their right mind would surely believe this offer to be genuine, spoof or otherwise.
3. this site is called name 'pros' not name 'turkeys'. (at least it was when i last looked).

But if you are truly serious and want a way round this, you might want to consider reply using the words "may", "might be", "would consider", and labelling any communication to them with the words "without prejudice".

No save that, just look at points 1 thru 3 above.

Totally uncalled for.

Anyway, my thoughts concur with a few others:
Firstly, why go straight in with $300k. No-one would do that without testing the water. Secondly, if it is a REAL $300k offer, they must be absoultely desperate for it, in which case, they'll phone you. Or at the very worst follow it up with a second contact. I'd sit on it and wait for that and go from there.

 

[RogueWriter]

Maybe the first fellow, 'mike' is just reporting in every TM related domain he cannot buy... 300K is too much for a TM including domain name. I do not for a moment believe this is a valid offer. Someone's setting you up, probably because you wouldn't sell to them for a hunnert bucks.

 

[SKG]

Cannot be Real

I highly doubt that Google offered such a high sum. If the name is question is AdsenseTalk.com (assuming it is) then why would Google not snap up AdsenseTalk.net which is available right now?

 

[Badger]

Yawn...... :z:

You guys really are suckers for this sort of cr*p

I think the guys an adsense voyeur or something...

http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=101242
http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=103735

 

[redz]

i say find out more and then contact google without giving them your url

 

[ezimedia]

HI

Im not sure.. but here are a few things I would do..

Think about it if this is a true offer what would $300k do for you...
I would make contact with her, but not via email.

I would do the research and find the business phone number for
her at google...

If you feel you can not talk to her, then I would hire a professional
broker to make contact with her, and pay him/her a % of the sale if it goes
thru.

Isdthe domain name by any chance redirected to Namepros LOL...

Jessica is a very sexy name lol not Flirting with you either have fun

eBook lover you sound like a smart cookie from your replies to this post..

You really just need to think are you willing to loose this domain name if
you contact google to see if the offer was for real.

What would 300k do for you...it's a drop in the ocean for google.

If google was going to sue you , you just hand over the domain to them.
But then if Adsense.com was regged before Google Adsense came out
you could say you got the domain to use for a related site about the
adsense.com company.

Beer... Im having one right now as I am writing this...

Your domain is a lot better then Adsensechat.com Took me 2 seconds to
think of this domain lol.

I would stop saying in this thread that you would give this domain to google for
free if they asked for it, because if the offer is for real and they see this thread
you may be out of 300k

Well I guess the cat is out of the bag on what the domain name is. ?

(I think Gene made a very valid post... something to think about)

So sit back and do not contact them and wait for them to contact you again.?

Even if Google was to see this thread and offer EbookLover 300k for the domain
the Media would pick it up and google would get more then 300k worth of
media coverage...

Well I wish you the best of luck and even if the offer is fake you have a very nice
domain name..

Good Luck..and all the best

Tom Dahne

 

[EbookLover]

Wow. This is funnier & more interesting than I thought it would be.

To be continued...