One-word Coms - strange offer emails

[accent]

I have received several emails offering to buy one word Coms, supposedly from different sources but with many things in common. So far all are for domains starting with A B or C as if they are starting at the beginning of the alphabet.

The "source" websites that I have checked are old, reputable sites, but I suspect that is not where they are from.

Examples:

Site Owner,(sic)\r\n\r\n
I'd like to purchase domain.com, if possible. I develop sites for search engines. I have a small budget for this project but have access to a lot more if there's something about this name that makes it worth it. \r\n\r\n
Also, if this name isn't for sale, can you tell me what else you have? I'm looking for anything catchy or descriptive for my next project. \r\n\r\n
(name removed)\r\n\r\n\r\n
I'm a mathematician and a search engine guy. Check out my latest project: NiceWebSite.comr\n\r\n
Or, I can go away. \r\n\r\n
......\r\n\r\n
Don't like me? Make me go away. Here's the tool to do it: (long link to source site including my email address)

I want to buy domain2.com. Can we cut straight to it and talk dollars and cents? Please tell me what you want for it.\r\n\r\n

M.B.B., III\r\n
District Sales Manager, Southeast\r\n
Certified Used Cars, Inc\r\n
business.comr\n\r\n\r\n

Don't forget to buy certified only. Certified used cars come with warranties just like new cars. It's simply irresponsible to buy something else. If this message bothers you and you don't want to hear from us again, then click this link and I'll remove you from my contact list. \r\n\r\n(link as above)

Here is my favorite:

Howdy,\r\n\r\n
My son is in his senior year at the University of Texas and he's always talking about this business he wants to get in. \r\n\r\n
I was wondering if you would sell me domain3.com so I could give it to him as an early graduation present. \r\n\r\n
Bo G.\r\n
West Texas Intermediate (WTI)\r\n
Division President\r\n
Big Oil, Inc\r\n
OilCompany.com r\n\r\n
Visit us at booth ##### at the North American Prospect Expo!\r\n\r\n\r\n
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail and any documents attached to it may contain confidential or proprietary information or content. The transmission is intended solely for the information or use of the individuals addressed, or copied, as intended recipients. If you are not a named recipient, or you were otherwise sent this by mistake, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking of any action as a result of or in reliance on the contents of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If this message has been received in error, please delete it immediately and notify the sender by return e-mail. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. If you would like to make sure that we never email you again, you can click this link: (similar link)

They have put some time into creating these character impersonations. Each is completely different but all have the "\r\n\r\n" artifact and are in HTML (can know you opened it if you have HTML enabled). I have received several more in this vein.

I responded to the first two and got no answer. Perhaps this is a large company trying to buy a lot of domains cheaply but the phony approach needs to be reported.

 

[TestCase]

Sure looks like some sort of scam to me.

And you are correct, these are a bit more unique/novel in their approach than your typical scam emails.

 

[nielsencl]

Clever SPAM may fool some people...

I just got one of these also and if you have not seen one before, take a look and I will post below what I think is going on.

-----Original Message-----
From: Matthew Bryan Boynahan, III
Sent: Friday, September 09, 2011
To: webmaster
Subject: Is spikiness.com for sale?


I want to buy spikiness.com. Can we cut straight to it and talk dollars and cents? Please tell me what you want for it.

Matthew Bryan Boynahan, III
District Sales Manager, Southeast
Certified Used Cars, Inc
certifiedusedcars.com


Don't forget to buy certified only. Certified used cars come with warranties just like new cars. It's simply irresponsible to buy something else. If this message bothers you and you don't want to hear from us again, then click this link and I'll remove you from my contact list.

/unsubscribe.php?o=185344&[email protected]

- They are using whois privacy. What sales guy is going to do THAT!?

- No contact information like phone, cell, fax etc. and they are in sales? Right!

- They are sending out domain inquiries using a mailing list? Sure.

- The web site they have is just there for AdSense clicks, not for selling cars.

And there you have it. You can't buy cars from that site and there is almost no contact information, it's just a nice MFA site. There is little doubt in my mind that these clever emails are only designed to drive traffic to the sender's site. In my case the domain was recently listed for sale in a domain newsletter. I'd really like to find out who owns the domain, because I would be sure to NEVER do business with them. I don't think this is a "scam". I think this is just a lame excuse for spam to drive traffic to a MFA site. And since it is spam, I am going to report it as such. If you try to visit the site and find it's down, then you know why. SPAM report really do work, try it and see.

[Update: Spam report filed with hosting provider and domain registrar.]

---------- Post added at 09:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 PM ----------

Hey, I was just looking in my domain offers folder and I remember I got this message a few days ago. I took it seriously, but never heard back from them. now I know why. At the time I remember wondering why it seemed so hard to find timeshare information on their site. It was mostly ads.

-----Original Message-----
From: Danny Devito [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011
To: webmaster
Subject: My company is interested in ferociousness.com

My boss has a new project he has me developing and we need a good name for it. By any chance, is ferociousness.com for sale?

Regards,

Danny Devito (no relationship)
Webmaster
http; //timesharebrokers.com

We are always buying timeshares and vacation ownership properties. Just ask for a free valuation report.


From time to time one of our sales people may reach out to you about your property. If you would like us to stop you can just click this link and stop it will. http; //timesharebrokers.com/unsubscribe.php?o=776743&[email protected]

 

[johname]

Matthew Bryan Boynahan, III

Danny Devito (no relationship)

Bambi Peterson other scam thread

I half heartly would reply (or not even reply) on these types of names.

 

[DomainNutz.com]

I received the big oil email and the Danny Devito email as well.