Is this a scam?

[WhoaDomain.com]

Hey guys long time no see. How is everybody? I hope all is well with you all.

So right to it.
Received an email from a yandex.ua email address interested in a domain that I allowed to expire because there was no "action" on it.

The domain is now with one of the "big boy" domainers now. It was dropcatched about a month after it deleted.

What bothers me is that this person really believes I am the owner of the domain. Why?

Especially when the whois data for this domain is already showing the current owner.

Plus all this interested person has to do is visit the domain and it will show the landing sales page for this domain and price at $2395.

This inquiry started at $5,000 then upped it to $10,000.

At $10,000 and at current price of $2395 I'd profit $7,000 on a domain I don't even own anymore.

If this is a scam it's pretty slick.

Could it be possible that this person was using an old who's data that still showed me as the owner? And they simply never checked again?

Pretty stupid if this is the case so I doubt anyone who is about to drop $10,000 on a domain would be so laxed.





My question is. Has anyone experienced having inquiries on a domain only to find out you deleted it already and is now owned by a big boy domainer?

My instincts tell me it is actually this big boy domainer who is reaching out to me to buy the domain for $10,000.

To temp me to buy the domain from them at $2395 for the purpose of selling it for $10,000 when it fact that buyer is fake and is actually THEM?

I was about to do it. Lucky Escrow.com told me that the buyer could always cancel payment at any time. Which means if I had bought the domain I'd be stuck with it.

Pretty slick shadiness if this is actually what this big boy domainer is doing.

If you want to know who owns the domain now. PM.

Has anyone ever experienced this before and got stuck with a domain?

Of course something like this is hard to prove since the inquiries come via throw away email addresses.

But has any big boy domainer ever been caught doing this?

 

[creataweb]

Probably the new owner trying to get you to buy it now then leave you holding the bag?

Could be wrong.

 

[sircc]

Sounds like a new appraisal scam, only much more devious.

Ask them to send you a prepayment of $2K to secure the domain.

 

[johnn]

New scam.

They got the name that you let it expired and offer you $10k hoping that you will buy the name from them.

I got two offers in same situation. Too bad I am too old to be scammed.

 

[Grego85]

Just based on the price, sounds like its hugedomains. I don't think they would do something like that, but who knows.

as messed up as it is, the opportunity to do that to previous domain owners is very real.

 

[NamesAgent]

Nobody is buying a domain for 10k without even checking the whois or at least typing the URL into their web browser first. Regardless of who is behind it, it's a scam.

 

[WhoaDomain.com]

Lol I love how smart people are here guessing the company. Buncha Sherlock's ! Thanks guys . I suspected as much. How quickly they went from $5,000 to $10,000 was suspect.

But for sure the fact that they still don't know I'm no longer the owner?

No one is that stupid.

Very surprised though that Escrow.com has their hands tied if the buyer decides to cancel.

With a domain transfer typically taking 3-7 business days. That's plenty of time to cancel.

At least that's what escrow rep said.

$10,000 is tempting. Even at $2395. I'd walk away with $7,000 minus Escrow fees.

Too bad they won't just do PayPal or Payoneer.

I doubt they would just send the money and "hope" I give them the domain.

I'm a pretty public person so no chance I'd skip town for just $10,000 or ruin my rep over $10,000.

I'll keep you guys updated.

Thanks and good luck to everyone.

 

[WhoaDomain.com]

Probably the new owner trying to get you to buy it now then leave you holding the bag?

Could be wrong.

I agree. Seriously. Who doesn't keep checking who's data? Even if the data at the time might be wrong. Still.

 

[WhoaDomain.com]

Nobody is buying a domain for 10k without even checking the whois or at least typing the URL into their web browser first. Regardless of who is behind it, it's a scam.

Exactly what I said.

 

[Name Trader]

Ask then to send you a "non-refundable holding deposit" equivalent to the current sales price, so that you can secure the domain for them. Be sure to lock in their selling price at the same time

 

[Windoms]

Damn that domain life is dangerous

 

[SirDrago]

You buy the domain at $2395 and the buyer for 10k will disappear.
Old scam, there was a thread here on NP not so long ago about the same situation but they actually fell for it.

 

[Jen005]

It happened with me 5-6 years ago. I dropped a domain and after expiry date someone emailed me that they're willing to pay $850 for it. I was tempted to renew it (in redemption grace period) for $80 and I did renewed it $80 plus $12 renewal fee and then buyer never replied me mail. Later i used it for adsense site and made a few bucks but then never renewed it again.

 

[WhoaDomain.com]

Just based on the price, sounds like its hugedomains. I don't think they would do something like that, but who knows.

as messed up as it is, the opportunity to do that to previous domain owners is very real.

Thanks. Has

Ask then to send you a "non-refundable holding deposit" equivalent to the current sales price, so that you can secure the domain for them. Be sure to lock in their selling price at the same time

"non-refundable holding deposit"? At payoneer at the selling price? Isn't a deposit usually like 10% of selling price? Would payoneer look at this sideways?

 

[WhoaDomain.com]

You buy the domain at $2395 and the buyer for 10k will disappear.
Old scam, there was a thread here on NP not so long ago about the same situation but they actually fell for it.

Question is who could be doing this ie the email offer ? Is it just some weird making you spend money?

It almost points all fingers to hugedomains.

I mean hate to accuse with out proof but this is totally insidious.

And still no reply but hugedomains keeps bugging via email if I'm ready to proceed.