Our own worst enemy.

[Lasher]

While this industry strives to distinguish itself from cyber squatters and be recognized as a legitimate profession, those in the industry itself are doing as much harm as anyone. As the owner of "sellringtones.net", I received the following email this morning:

Hi Derek,

I am writing to inform you that sellringtone.COM is expiring and may be released to the public within the next few days

There is a good chance that there will be several interested parties attempting to capture this domain when it is released, these will vary from parties with a genuine interest to domain name speculators otherwise known as cyber squatters who often put large price tags on such domains.

We are domain acquisition specialists and I felt that as the owner of sellringtone.net you would have a much more genuine interest in acquiring sellringtone.COM.

If you would like us to try and acquire this domain on your behalf then please let me know by 18th June 2006.
The sooner you let me know the more chance we have of acquiring the domain.

If you are genuinely interested, then I recommend you either call me on (UK +44) (0) 870 --- ---- or email me a number so that I can call you, as any delays in email communication could result in missing out on this domain.

Kind Regards
<name censored>

My reply might have been a little harsh, but deserved imho:

Cyber squatters are people who intentionally sit on a trademark, typo domain or famous figure/organization to attempt to monetize a brand they have no rights to. Investors and speculators who catch dropped domains are not “cyber squatters”, and being in the business you know this.

Using the term “cyber squatter” might help prompt end users into action to avoid those evil squatters, but in the long run you are hurting your own industry throwing around crap like this. You do not own the domain, you are offering to attempt to drop catch it for me. How do you define your own organization catching the domain to sell to me as “domain acquisition specialists” while if someone else catches it to sell in the open market they are “cyber squatters”? Maybe I can offer my own services to help you catch hypocrisy.com should it become available at some future date?

Btw, just in case it isn’t clear, consider this a long-winded “no”.

Is anyone else getting emails like this?

 

[fonzie_007]

I've never received an email like that before, but just beware not to piss off people who may have bigger budgets than you. They may bid you up on the domain you want.

 

[Ringtonebro]

Why didn't you just ignore it? if you did, you could probably have gotten the name for regfee. I doubt they will drop the name now.

 

[Kate]

LOL

I've had a similar thing with a company named Webnamesolutions. Basically they caught a .com name (I had the .net) and offered to sell the name to me for $99, for a limited time. I ignored the offer. After a few days the name was dropped again (they were domain tasters).
I then took it.

Another variant, which is nearly a scam. I had a .net, some company offered to sell me the .com. The .com had just dropped but they didn't register it actually. They would register it only if I replied I was interested and willing to pay the $100 or $200 or so they asked. I did a whois to check and noticed the name was free... so I grabbed it, actually they were right to contact me about this name...

The bottom line, I think there are some shady & greedy people in this industry, and we all get a bad rep because of that. There is a lot of money involved (just look at the drops) and money tends to rot people (not only with sports).
Also, you have to be aware that the public at large is brainwashed by the media and the official propaganda. Even the journalists rarely make the difference between cybersquatters and domain investors/developers. We really need to ofsset all this bad press with strong ethics and professioal conduct.

 

[DropLister]

I get emails like this alot, usually offering me an available to register domain name for $100

 

[snoop]

but just beware not to piss off people who may have bigger budgets than you.

I'd also say beware not to piss off people who send out spam email.

 

[scrsteven]

Regarding Lasher's post, I've seen the exact same message before. I understand their business model, but mislabeling cybersquatters is wrong.

 

[gazzip]

:lol: Nice reply Lasher ! :kickass:



.

 

[fonzie_007]

I'd also say beware not to piss off people who send out spam email.

Especially when they have your email address.

 

[Fleege]

How do you define your own organization catching the domain to sell to me as “domain acquisition specialists” while if someone else catches it to sell in the open market they are “cyber squatters”? Maybe I can offer my own services to help you catch hypocrisy.com should it become available at some future date?

Good one. I take my hat off to people like you who speak up.

I must admit _ I am lazy about stuff like that. Or maybe I try to use my energy on things that help me. But again hat off. Ok I give you well reserved rep.

Now back to the 876 item Domain To do list...

 

[sk8r_rob]

well they got what they deserved, i never reply to anything like this, it just goes straight to junk mail :P

 

[Fleege]

Nice lashing..

it is people like you who help all domainers gain rep.

REP ADDED and well deserved. What idiots calling their own "game" Cyber squatting...

 

[GeneCosta]

Btw, just in case it isn’t clear, consider this a long-winded “no”.

The best way to end it! Ha, loved it.

Unfortunately, I usually don't register domains that someone would try to cheat me out of. Or is that fortunate?

 

[IAmAllanShore]

Actually, the owner of that "service" that sent you the email is a member here, if I remember correctly... There was recently a thread that was reopened to allow him to respond to member comments...
Can't find it now, but it's out there.
Search for some of the text of the email and see what comes up.
-Allan

 

[Xombie]

Well the email addresses I get this kind of spam from now have a filter to send it straight to the trash folder. [Not the Spam folder, but I'm close to changing it there ] I got fed up with this kind of message, especially from tasters.

 

[diddie]

i got that 2 or 3 times, never replied

 

[Ben42]

I would guess he's looking for end users with the same names in different .ext and then he'd put in a pick at snapnames and try to aquire the name for them...for a percentage of course. Not a bad business model, and very unique, but seemingly risky. Say you aquire it and then they decide they don't want it anymore...DOH!

 

[Lasher]

No problem with the business model, and if he is able to pick up drops may even be successful. I would imagine he's using the usual suspects for drop catching and then selling on to end users at a higher rate. My issue with the email was referring to other drop catchers as "cyber squatters" while his own service is, of course, "domain acquisition specialists"