advice Inbound scam?

[Criterion811]

Hi NP,

I've received an email about one of my domains asking if it's still for sale. The email went to my spam folder, but having opened it the writing seems quite legit. It's from Japan, and apparently there is an interested party from Tokyo. The thing is though they asked if I had anymore names to send them so they could help me 'find investors' which threw up a red flag for me. It claims to be from Sakura Hosting Inc. If it hadn't gone to spam, I'd think it was legit I think. I've replied but not given out any of my other names and asked them to make an offer.

Does this sound like a legit email to you veteran domainers and is there any harm in replying?

Thanks!

 

[creataweb]

It's a scam. Search Japan on here and you'll see tons of them.

 

[Criterion811]

Thanks creataweb!

 

[creataweb]

https://www.google.com/search?q=ema...XAhUFRyYKHVomCYEQrQIIMygEMAA&biw=1116&bih=626

Here ya go

 

[Criterion811]

Yeah I think they're trying to get payment and personal details by asking me to buy a domain certificate... Very annoying.

 

[Criterion811]

Just read through that thread, thanks a lot, almost the exact email I got. I admit it looks very legit at first. Glad I asked!

Many thanks

 

[lock]

Does this sound like a legit email to you veteran domainers and is there any harm in replying?

Thanks!

I don't know why so many domainers will still reply to hear them out looking for that one string only to hook them again. Any form of action will just make you a target for more of the same.

 

[Kuffy]

It's a shame when pseudo-hosting companies try to scam domain owners. Web hosting services can be useful brokers for clients looking to set up a new site. I had one contact me to try to recover a name that a client had let drop by "accident". I was goiung to let him have the name for a nominal fee, until the client mailed me with a load of abuse because I had registered his dropped name. I gave the name to my partner, and she still owns it.

 

[lock]

It's a shame when pseudo-hosting companies try to scam domain owners. Web hosting services can be useful brokers for clients looking to set up a new site. I had one contact me to try to recover a name that a client had let drop by "accident". I was goiung to let him have the name for a nominal fee, until the client mailed me with a load of abuse because I had registered his dropped name. I gave the name to my partner, and she still owns it.

It always happens when you try to help somebody. I once saw a woman that jacked up her BMW under the plastic side skirt i was just about to assist when noticed her error. I bet if I helped I would be the one responsible.

 

[BaileyUK]

Yep, any reply just puts you on a Scammers-playlist, probably for a different approach next time. They're never that difficult to identify purely because the scammers haven't got the interest, time or money to draw you in for an elaborate sting for that $59 dollar appraisal scam.

When In doubt, take your time and never respond on impulse - No matter how much you wish the inquiry to be genuine

 

[BaileyUK]

It's a shame when pseudo-hosting companies try to scam domain owners. Web hosting services can be useful brokers for clients looking to set up a new site. I had one contact me to try to recover a name that a client had let drop by "accident". I was goiung to let him have the name for a nominal fee, until the client mailed me with a load of abuse because I had registered his dropped name. I gave the name to my partner, and she still owns it.

Same happened with one of my early .com's, the guy was actually part of the Microsoft illuminati/team but his bullshit emails put me right off wanting to do him any favours. I do genuinely believe it was part of a future MS project, and they subsequently dropped the keyword from their releases, they had the net, org etc. had the original contact played it straight, I think the guilt-trip of hanging on to it just wouldn't have been worth it but, why all the lies is what I couldn't fathom.

still got-it, and stays one of my longest forward registered domains

 

[Criterion811]

Thanks for all the replies, very glad to have the NP's community. As others have said about this scam it looked very convincing, not even any major grammatical issues etc and whoever wrote it was clearly knowledgeable about the domain business. I asked them to provide ID/Credentials or not to bother contacting me with unsolicited offers again. Needless to say I've received no response...