Is Namescout.com trying to scam me ?

[diddie]

I need your advice here and i want also want people let know about this registrar Namescout.com. Here's the story:
i bought 7 domains at DNF 2 months ago, 1 was registred at domainsystems and 6 at namescout.com, where i created new account in order to have them transfered to me.
2 weeks ago i try to log at namscout and my access is blocked, here are the email exchange with the support staff:


My first email:
#######################################
from Domains Chris N. <[email protected]>
to [email protected],
date Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 4:32 PM
subject problem with my account
mailed-by gmail.com

hide details Mar 31


Reply


hi,

i cannot login to my account: diXXXX
my email: [email protected]

thx for unlocking it

Chris
#######################################

their reply:
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Subject
---------------------------------------------------------------
problem with my account


Discussion Thread
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Response (David Lewis) - 03/31/2008 05:41 PM
Hello

Thank you for contacting Customer Service.

Our records show that your account has been placed on hold at this time as there was a charge back on your account. If you wish to re-instate the account, you will need to contact our customer service and make arrangements to pay the oustanding balance. Please note that there is also a $50 USD administration fee for all chargebacks.

Our contact information can be found at http://namescout.com/contact.asp

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My 2 replies (as i was pretty pissed off):
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[===> Please enter your reply below this line <===]

What are you talking about, i opened this account recently, i got some domain names registred there that i bought form a domainer, he's username at namescout was XXXXX , can you give me details of what i "owe" you ???
- Hide quoted text -



[===> Please enter your reply above this line <===]

[===> Please enter your reply below this line <===]

Second message: you better give me full details on whats going on, you CLOSED my account where i have DOMAINS registred, i have no more access to them, be sure i will talk about that on the most famous domain name forums like namepros.com , DNF and domainstate.com. Be sure to take well care of this situtation and in order with law. Thank you

Christophe




[===> Please enter your reply above this line <===]
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I had no reply to those emails, i submitted another ticket:

####################################3
i sent you yesterday 2 emails replying to [Incident: 080331-010930] , my account was blocked without any reason, i never received any email from you for any payment, i haven't made any purchase from your company, i just transfered 6 names to a new namescount account i created, i'm waiting for a detailed reply since yesterday

regards

Chris
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To which they replied:

###########################################
Discussion Thread
---------------------------------------------------------------
Response (David Lewis) - 04/02/2008 02:34 PM
Hello

Thank you for your reply. I have asked our Accounting department to look up the account and provide a detailed breakdown of the current amount owing on the account. As soon as I have this information, I will send an email with the information that you are looking for.

We apologize for any delay and/or inconvenience.
##############################################

They replied 5 days after that:
##############################################

Subject
---------------------------------------------------------------
Amount Owing on Account


Discussion Thread
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Response (David Lewis) - 04/07/2008 09:08 AM
Hello

I apologize for the delay in responding. The Accounting department has looked into the account and has found the following information for you:

The total amount owing is US$590.00 ($540 + charge back fee o $50) for the following domains

flzq.com
qjjp.com
bzaw.com
btzo.com
iixz.com
hhvb.com
qbqp.com
bbxj.com
svvj.com

Please contact our Customer Service to arrange payment of this amount to remove the hold from your account. We may be contacted either by email to [email protected] or by calling 613-768-5140.
#############################################

today i replied this:

#######################################
******* MY REPLY: ******************************************************************


Hi,

first i want to undesrtand for what are you billing me ? registration ? renewal ? why is it a manual process ? these domains are registred till almost the end of the year, i hope i will get an entire reply form you

second: i own only 6 domains at you, and flzq.com is registred at domainsystems.com , my domains are:

bbxj.com
hhvb.com
iixz.com
qbqp.com
qjjp.com
svvj.com

i bought these domains from a named XXXXX 2 months ago, he transfered them from his account to mine, and now you blocked my account. Can you explain me: did i get scammed by this person or are you trying to scam me ?
I'm posting this on popular forum names, i will provide you the link in my next email. You guys do not look too much professional: one week to give me a reply, you bill me without giving a reason, you block my account for i don't know why. Reply to this email and i will call you it will be easier. Thank you

Christophe N.

####################################

the domain name flzq.com which they are trying to charge me, is registred at domainsystems and i own it and have full acces to it,

i do not own these two for which they want to charge as well:
bzaw.com
btzo.com


any one got problems with them ?
what are they charging for ? did i get scammed by the seller ? (knowing he's an exclusive member at DNF and that the total transaction was for $350)

or are Namescout.com guys trying to scam me by getting these domains for themselves ? because i get a bill without a valid purpose, and it is made by hand (not automatic system like we all use at different registrars)

thanks guys in advance for letting me know what you think

Chris N.

 

[seolinks]

i am watching this thread.

namescout.com we are watching you.

i hope you get your issues settled soon diddie.

 

[weblord]

headsup:
namescout.com still unrated:
http://www.namepros.com/domain-registrar-reviews/92481-namescout.html

 

[diddie]

i am watching this thread.

namescout.com we are watching you.

i hope you get your issues settled soon diddie.

thanks i keep you informed, i hope we resolve it correctly with namescout

 

[bmugford]

I really can't wait for 60 days until I can get my Pool.com wins out of there.

 

[DNBro]

Its really bad experience, same happened along with me also.

http://www.namepros.com/domain-name...l-com-fraudulent.html?highlight=namescout.com

Namescount is a sister concern of Pool.com. Here search for namescount/pool you can find more thread about their poor quality customer service.

I decided onething I won’t buy any further domain auctioned through Pool.com.

Who know that, charge back/fraud transactions all are their trick to get some extra $$, by cheating their customers?

 

[Dave_Z]

you bill me without giving a reason, you block my account for i don't know why.

Namescout did give you a reason:

Our records show that your account has been placed on hold at this time as there was a charge back on your account. If you wish to re-instate the account, you will need to contact our customer service and make arrangements to pay the oustanding balance. Please note that there is also a $50 USD administration fee for all chargebacks.

From what I read and understood, it seems like whoever last paid for all those
domain names with Namescout or so eventually did a chargeback on them. It
so happens you're listed as the owner, so they probably thought you did that.

Better have a chat with whoever you bought those names from.

 

[diddie]

Namescout did give you a reason:


From what I read and understood, it seems like whoever last paid for all those
domain names with Namescout or so eventually did a chargeback on them. It
so happens you're listed as the owner, so they probably thought you did that.

Better have a chat with whoever you bought those names from.

sure, for you getting a bill with the following reason is enough !! ??? :

The total amount owing is US$590.00 ($540 + charge back fee o $50) for the following domains:
xxxxx.com
xxxxxx.com
.......

what am i billed for ??? those domains were already registred and renewal is at the end of the year

Its really bad experience, same happened along with me also.

http://www.namepros.com/domain-name...l-com-fraudulent.html?highlight=namescout.com

Namescount is a sister concern of Pool.com. Here search for namescount/pool you can find more thread about their poor quality customer service.

I decided onething I won’t buy any further domain auctioned through Pool.com.

Who know that, charge back/fraud transactions all are their trick to get some extra $$, by cheating their customers?

what you did at the end ?

 

[Dave_Z]

sure, for you getting a bill with the following reason is enough !! ??? :

The total amount owing is US$590.00 ($540 + charge back fee o $50) for the following domains:
xxxxx.com
xxxxxx.com
.......

what am i billed for ??? those domains were already registred and renewal is at the end of the year

That's the thing. Namescout probably thought you did the chargeback since
the domain names showed your name. (or did they?)

Especially a .com, the Registry bills the registrar $6.42 for every registration,
renewal, and/or transfer they accept. In turn, the registrar bills the end user
for it separately.

A chargeback on a domain name results in the registrar losing the fees paid by
that end user as well as any "chargeback fee" or whatever they're called. And
since they can't get their $6.42 or so back from the Registry, they've virtually
lost money on the domain name/s that got the chargeback/s.

From what I read in those emails, again, it seems like those six domain names
were originally paid for their registration periods, they were transferred to you
after you bought and paid the last user for such, then whoever last paid for
them with Namescout did the chargebacks. Again, Namescout lost money.

If the one you paid those domain names was the last one who paid for those
registrations, then perhaps you ought to "talk" to that person.

 

[DNBro]

Namescout did give you a reason:


From what I read and understood, it seems like whoever last paid for all those
domain names with Namescout or so eventually did a chargeback on them. It
so happens you're listed as the owner, so they probably thought you did that.

Better have a chat with whoever you bought those names from.

In case company run by good management, first they will stop such fraud transaction instead of this kind of third-rate approaches. They already know, domains ownership is changed and now illegally recovering their loss by holding domains or blocking account.

Below are mail i received from Pool, same kind of situation I had recently seen on a movie, but there it was for a plot.

Thank you for contacting Pool.com, we are pleased to assist you with your inquiry. You may have paid a third party to purchase domain.COM but what I have tried to explain is that it was not their domain to sell in the first place. It was purchased fraudulently so we have taken control of the domain. Regarding the payment you have already made for domain.COM I would have to suggest that you contact the third party whom you sent your payment to and request they provide you with a refund. If you want to purchase domain.COM from the legitimate holders of the domain then the price will be $60 US. Our point is that we are not attempting to make an additional profit from domain.COM, but only to recover those funds we have already lost as a result of the original fraudulent purchase.

 

[diddie]

That's the thing. Namescout probably thought you did the chargeback since
the domain names showed your name. (or did they?)

Especially a .com, the Registry bills the registrar $6.42 for every registration,
renewal, and/or transfer they accept. In turn, the registrar bills the end user
for it separately.

A chargeback on a domain name results in the registrar losing the fees paid by
that end user as well as any "chargeback fee" or whatever they're called. And
since they can't get their $6.42 or so back from the Registry, they've virtually
lost money on the domain name/s that got the chargeback/s.

From what I read in those emails, again, it seems like those six domain names
were originally paid for their registration periods, they were transferred to you
after you bought and paid the last user for such, then whoever last paid for
them with Namescout did the chargebacks. Again, Namescout lost money.

If the one you paid those domain names was the last one who paid for those
registrations, then perhaps you ought to "talk" to that person.

ok, i understand, in all cases i'm trying to get back to the seller, but i don't see him online now since some time...

 

[recluse99]

sounds like namescout messed up and you are paying the price.

 

[Len]

Looks like the scammers have found another way to make money through chargebacks on domains won at Pool etc. after they have re-sold them to unsuspecting domainers.
If this continues I can see the payment methods to Pool, Snapnames etc being changed and domains not being released until they receive payment in full and no chance of a chargeback. This is going to affect us all in the long term!

 

[DNBro]

If this continues I can see the payment methods to Pool, Snapnames etc being changed and domains not being released until they receive payment in full and no chance of a chargeback. This is going to affect us all in the long term!

That will remain a good option

 

[Rebel-Man]

I work for the sister company to Namescout.com and the parent company. Dave your take on the situation is exactly right. I already PM'd the OP through another board to offer any assistance in getting this resolved.

 

[phppoddotcom]

It is strange that they allowed domain transfer without covering the outstanding payment. I think that is what confuses them.

 

[Rebel-Man]

A push would not have been allowed if any chargeback had been received. The chargeback was received after the domains had been pushed. As they domains were still in a Namescout.com account they were locked down.

 

[diddie]

I work for the sister company to Namescout.com and the parent company. Dave your take on the situation is exactly right. I already PM'd the OP through another board to offer any assistance in getting this resolved.

To offer assistance to me ?

 

[Rebel-Man]

I believe so, did you not open the same thread at another forum? If not I apologize and would like to offer my assiatnce now. Please feel free to get in touch with me at [email protected] or by PM and i would be happy to explain the situation in detail and look for solutions.

 

[squid]

I find it silly how as soon as somebody complains about a registrar everybody jumps on the "THIS REGISTRAR IS A SCAMMER" because that's how company's reputations get ruined. I have no experience with namescout.com but i can guess they're a pretty good registrar, if, as mentioned above they are affiliated with larger company's - people shouldn't trust everything that the OP says, I'm not saying he's lying, but when you feel scammed you make everything seem worse than it really is, to gain support of other forum go'ers.