Makemoney.com auction closed and member banned

[Keith]

This thread was closed

https://www.namepros.com/threads/makemoney-com.1300134/page-3#posts

@Bravo Mod Team what was the reason for closing and banning the member? If it was because it changed from a charity auction to a personal auction, cool.

But then my question is, how would you know if proceeds were donated, assuming the initial auction carried out?

 

[Future Sensors]

Does it happen so often that a charity domain auction is started on NamePros?

 

[Daniel Owens]

We are definitely going to take a lot of heat if we ban charity auctions: people are going to be quite mad at us for refusing to allow fundraisers, and they will almost certainly ascribe it to political motive.

Then again, we take a lot of heat for, well, everything.

Maybe, only charities should be able to offer charity auctions that would solve it. If we allowed them to open accounts provide their 501c and other status then they could offer domains. But, to let joe the plumber auction off a domain with an unverified claim that it's going to charity seems sketchy to say the least.

 

[dirk]

Interesting debate regarding charity auctions...

However... The seller cancelled the auction, like I mentioned earlier on, which is a huge no-no and against NP auction rules.

This one is not on NP (they actually gave free additional exposure to the auction), but on the seller. Given his history, he was definitely aware.

Charity auction or not, shouldn't make a difference.

You fail to honour your offering (if not beyond your control), you must be held accountable.

 

[Paul]

Does it happen so often that a charity domain auction is started on NamePros?

No, but it's not unheard of, either.

 

[maya-zir]

I don't understand why this auction caused such a wave of outrage and resulted in a user being banned.

Let's take it step by step.

Firstly, let's forget the fact that this was a charity auction, and also let's ignore the fact that it was an expensive domain. This is irrelevant because rules should apply to any action, regardless of its value and reason.

Maybe I'm wrong, but the user did not act dishonestly since he proved that the domain was his, and he also stopped the auction and explained the reason why.

Okay, the explanation wasn't very clear, but he still stopped everything before receiving any money. He didn't steal from anyone, nor did he deceive anyone. Maybe he had some reasons to stop it.

If, as has already been said, this user has made mistakes before, it only shows that he is impulsive or disorganized. I don't know who he is, but as far as I'm concerned, it would have been enough to reduce his seller rating.

The person wanted to help, for some reason couldn't, and stopped the auction. Did you lose something from this? Just move on and forget about it. You're making a problem out of nothing.

Years ago, a seller here offered an 8-number domain, but he sent me a 9-number one when I bought it. I only noticed two weeks later. I opened a thread and showed screenshots and proof, but I don't remember anyone getting so upset about it, even though it was a real scam.

 

[Keith]

Interesting debate regarding charity auctions...

However... The seller cancelled the auction, like I mentioned earlier on, which is a huge no-no and against NP auction rules.

And, sellers don’t get to do that. Normally, the mods just use their superpowers to keep the momentum going.

Glad you pointed out another inconsistency.

 

[Kingslayer]

I've just done a search on NamePros and found this from 6 months ago:-

https://www.namepros.com/threads/makemoney-com-charity-auction-one-and-only-bid-with-heart.1285975/

Fair enough he did nothing wrong here (closed the auction with no bids), but said it was a charity auction but this time for "personal computers for children in Kharkiv/Kharkov".

Something obviously doesn't seem right with it all, if he was serious and wants to help Ukrainians affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, why not just donate proceeds to aid the people of Ukraine in general and a charity such as IRC/Unicef or Red Cross:-

https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
https://www.unicef.org.uk/donate/donate-now-to-protect-children-in-ukraine/
https://help.rescue.org/donate/ukraine-crisis

Rather than just 1 specific thing (computers or bread) with no info on how this is going to be done/which charity its being donated to?

 

[rh2000]

I've just done a search on NamePros and found this from 6 months ago:-

https://www.namepros.com/threads/makemoney-com-charity-auction-one-and-only-bid-with-heart.1285975/

Fair enough he did nothing wrong here (closed the auction with no bids), but said it was a charity auction but this time for "personal computers for children in Kharkiv/Kharkov".

Something obviously doesn't seem right with it all, if he was serious and wants to help Ukrainians affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, why not just donate proceeds to aid the people of Ukraine in general and a charity such as IRC/Unicef or Red Cross:-

https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
https://www.unicef.org.uk/donate/donate-now-to-protect-children-in-ukraine/
https://help.rescue.org/donate/ukraine-crisis

Rather than just 1 specific thing (computers or bread) with no info on how this is going to be done/which charity its being donated to?

Nice find. Now I see why he or she canceled the auction. The last bid was much less than what they paid for the domain.

 

[maya-zir]

I've just done a search on NamePros and found this from 6 months ago:-

https://www.namepros.com/threads/makemoney-com-charity-auction-one-and-only-bid-with-heart.1285975/

Fair enough he did nothing wrong here (closed the auction with no bids), but said it was a charity auction but this time for "personal computers for children in Kharkiv/Kharkov".

Something obviously doesn't seem right with it all, if he was serious and wants to help Ukrainians affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, why not just donate proceeds to aid the people of Ukraine in general and a charity such as IRC/Unicef or Red Cross:-

https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
https://www.unicef.org.uk/donate/donate-now-to-protect-children-in-ukraine/
https://help.rescue.org/donate/ukraine-crisis

Rather than just 1 specific thing (computers or bread) with no info on how this is going to be done/which charity its being donated to?

It is quite possible that the domain does not belong to him alone, or there were some problems or reasons why he decided not to sell the domain.
Everyone attacked him like that, but he did not take money from anyone. It was enough to simply lower the rating of the seller, and not expose him as a scammer.
Maybe he wanted to sell the domain, get money and donate his money and not ask people here to donate.

 

[Kingslayer]

Nice find. Now I see why he or she canceled the auction. The last bid was much less than what they paid for the domain.

Where does it say what they paid for the domain? It just said $250k start and I'm fairly sure they wouldn’t have paid anywhere near $250k for it either.

But even so, they started their last auction with no reserve (no one forced them to) and it was getting a bid every day and on the verge of hitting 6 figures, so i don’t buy that.

I’ve been involved in valuable domain names (I know Keith as too in this thread), sometimes things can get a bit quiet on these names and ‘some’ people need reassuring its valuable and I honestly think thats all this was with this ‘so called’ auction (attention) and when I look previous threads of this domain on NamePros and outside NamePros, I do feel they seek attention with it.

FTR it’s a great domain, but it’s domain that I don’t think is special, it’s a domain what I (as an investor) would have liked to have paid around $50k or under for, I saw its potential as a $250k domain (max) to the perfect buyer, but I think it’s a tough sell.

 

[rh2000]

Where does it say what they paid for the domain? It just said $250k start and I'm fairly sure they wouldn’t have paid anywhere near $250k for it either.

But even so, they started their last auction with no reserve (no one forced them to) and it was getting a bid every day and on the verge of hitting 6 figures, so i don’t buy that.

I’ve been involved in valuable domain names (I know Keith as too in this thread), sometimes things can get a bit quiet on these names and ‘some’ people need reassuring its valuable and I honestly think thats all this was with this ‘so called’ auction (attention) and when I look previous threads of this domain on NamePros and outside NamePros, I do feel they seek attention with it.

FTR it’s a great domain, but it’s domain that I don’t think is special, it’s a domain what I (as an investor) would have liked to have paid around $50k or under for, I saw its potential as a $250k domain (max) to the perfect buyer, but I think it’s a tough sell.

 

[Kingslayer]

Show attachment 236999

Thanks i missed the bottom part, do you really think they paid $250k for it?

 

[NameInbox]

Epik forever registration ​

 

[Omar.]

The Best part of this Scam Auction by BusinessBrands is that his domain makemoney.com now has ZERO VALUE due the SCANDAL of this SCAM FAILED AUCTION ahahahahaa!

What a DUMB way to RUIN A DOMAINS VALUE AND REPUTATION! LOL

BusinessBrands was trying the same Scam Auction here since October 2022, by saying he will buy computers for children in Ukraine, THE SAME BS of white bread for Ukraine people... He only DAMAGED THE VALUE AND REPUTATION of his domain: makemoney.com that now NOBODY WILL BUY

 

[Kingslayer]

Nice find. Now I see why he or she canceled the auction. The last bid was much less than what they paid for the domain.

Will add one more thing to this, highly doubt they are going to pay $250k and take a hit on that/completely write it off and donate it to charity, I may be wrong, but going with my gut on this person and seeing admins message of "they have a long history of being unprofessional and disrupting the community" i think it's obvious they probably never.

 

[eyedomainous]

Personally, I thought the seller would stop the auction after it was paused... because the bidding lost its momentum... and the bidders naturally became suspicious... so when bidding did not recover, after it was stopped, the seller realized his auction was sunk and pulled the asset.

Also, the first thing I, and many domainers, do when interested in a domain name is see where it is pointed. I did not understand why the auction had to be paused to do this, or validate suspected false accounts.

If you see something do something. If you don't see anything, don't do something based on suspicion... even if the 'suspect' is a bit wacky and unprofessional. Many 'wealthy' people are, and just don't give a shit.

This auction was not a good *professional* look for NP... in the eyes of the $ignificant new bidders. IMO.

 

[kor]

White bread is not healthy anyway.

Next time he should try to scam people with rye bread.

 

[Igor Mironyuk]

I think that seller could sell MakeMoney.com on auction NamePros as usual auction, not charity and sold for big money. Why hide behind charity?

 

[scithe]

I saw the post on the first day and the domain had already been redirecting to the post before the auction was paused.

White bread does spike your blood sugar levels which can also affect your blood pressure. Wheat bread is digested slower and avoids spiking at least theoretically.

The seller definitely seemed like a flake. I remember the first auction looking to buy Dell computers too. Maybe it's because I've been in eCommerce since 1998 and I've seen so many scams but I'd never bid in an auction like that.

 

[Paul]

After discussing this internally, it seems a bit extreme to forbid charity auctions outright. I don't think it makes sense to let one bad person spoil it for everyone. We'll likely implement a rule requiring transparency for any charity auctions, including donating the money directly to the charity rather than having it pass through the seller.