So I just received a high $xxxx offer...

[tect]

Hey fellas,

So I'm new to domain selling...the other day I bought a domain, and received an email yesterday from a guy willing to buy it. I was expecting an offer in the mid $xxx range...Sedo's free appraisal had it <$500 (however that much is, not very specific). However...he is offering me a high $xxxx offer, which needless to say blew my socks off.

He asked me to get an appraisal from a good site, which I did and am now waiting for to receive. Needless to say, there is no way this domain will be appraised for that amount. It's a good domain name, and it's in a field that will likely be big soon. *Note: I'm not giving exact deals in case he is reading this*. When he sees the appraisal, he's obviously going to change his tune.

What should I do in this situation? I would have been fine with a $xxx deal but since he is thinking high $xxxx, I'd obviously enjoy that very much. How should I go about this? Thanks guys, this is my first potential domain sell and I want it to end well.

 

[sleepysentry]

I'm sorry to say this sounds like a scam. There is a common scam that has been going around for the last year or so in which you get an offer from a buyer, but he or she wants you to have the domain appraised first. The email is from the owner of the appraisal website. Typically you'll be given the choice between a legit appraisal (usually Sedo) and a cheaper appraisal from a no-name site. The owner of the no-name site just wants you to buy an appraisal. You will never hear back from the "buyer."

Watch out for this domain appraisal scam

 

[bmugford]

Sorry, but I think this is the appraisal scam. There are many threads about it - http://www.namepros.com/warnings-and-alerts/639974-another-scam-letter-elite-investment-group.html

Brad

 

[Entrepreneur888]

SCAM, anyone who asks you to get appraisal. Tell him to get his own.

Why should you foot the bill? Hes the one supposedly interested in buying it.

 

[domainscash]

i had the same experience recently.. i was surprised to receive an email from a guy saying he's interested to buy my domains but he wants first my domains to be appraised.. he gave me a link but i didn't use that link and instead i used godaddy's in-house appraisal..

 

[Avabelle]

I had the same thing happen to me as soon as I put my domain names on Sedo.

 

[domainscash]

I had the same thing happen to me as soon as I put my domain names on Sedo.

oh yes.. now i know they got my contact details from sedo..

 

[nielsencl]

Domain Appraisal Scam Tips

There is another thread about this, but I don't have the link. Do a search and you will find it. At the risk of being repetitive I will repeat the basic advice I have posted there:

- The seller should NEVER, EVER pay for an appraisal because someone asked them to. Don't pay for anything else either, except maybe half the escrow fee, if you want to.

- If you have lost money from this kind of scam, contact the appraisal company and ask for a refund. If they warned you about this scam, then you CANNOT ask for a refund. But if they did NOT tell you, then you should ask for a refund because they all know about it by now. Send the apprasial company all the emails and information from the scammer.

If the appraisal company can't or won't give you a refund, then do a CHARGEBACK or contact the payment company and file a complaint. If you paid with Plimus, they have been giving refunds with proper documentation. Remember that they appraisal company may not be connected to the scammer except by an affiliate program. They need to be responsible, but they may not be to blame.

If the appraisal company did not warn you and is not helpful, then I would also send the information about what happened to their hosting company and domain registrar. They need to warn customers or people will assume they are in on this scam.

Good Luck!

 

[nicedomains]

Scam, scam, scam!

Share the email address here so the SE's index it. Appraisal scams are very common, never pay for an appraisal, especially if the "buyer" wants you to.

Better luck in the future!

:wave:

 

[tect]

Ugh...I feel like such a fucking moron...I am new to this and that offer seemed ridiculous.

[email protected] this is the email of the guy I received it from.

Of course I already paid for an appraisal from this site Appraisal Certificate

It shows $6750, but is this a legitimate site? I was looking forward to a good day and now this... I emailed him the results and whatnot...

Thanks guys....so where do I go from here?

 

[snoop]

The appraisal sites are his own. He usually also includes one more expensive appraisal site in the email like Sedo to make it look more legit, that is how the scam works. Dispute the charge with whoever you paid, paypal, bank etc.

 

[Krossat]

Well Paul that sure looks like an appraisal scam :/
Tell me u didnt pay 59euros as it shows on the price list :O

 

[nielsencl]

tect: I already posted what I think you should do. The payment company you used, swreg, is actually located near where I live. They have issued refunds for others that have been scammed like this. The link you posted is to the same site we have seen before. Also email the hosting company and their domain registrar. If enough people file reports about a scam, the chances are good someone will shut them down.
Good Luck!

P.S. And DON'T feel so bad. If this was not a clever scam, they would not be using it. Now you know you can't trust anyone where money is involved.

 

[tect]

Interesting...I got another email back from him after sending the (fake) appraisal, and this is what he said...

It's a big risk to proceed without professional valuation. I already spoke
to industry experts and they prohibited me to do business without
valuation..

Without manual valuation nobody will buy. You'll sit on your domain for
years in this case, paying renewal fees to your registrar. Just think about
it. So sooner or later, you'll have to obtain an appraisal. Why waste time
now?

As a seller, you can use a valuation certificate to sell names to other
buyers. I cannot do the same because I don't keep control over your domain.

I'm still interested in your domain. Hope you'll change your position. I
simply don't want to take additional risks.

Thank you for understanding. I'm looking forward to do business with you.

Tim Swieckowski
[email protected]
Giant cock sucker

Emailed the swreg as suggested nielsencl...hope I hear back from the soon.

Just so disappointed in myself that I fell for this...I for the most part think people who get scammed are idiots. Now it has happened to me... and I should have known from a mile away it was a scam. Well...live and learn I guess.

BTW, I'll send him another email with an "appraisal", but I need something good to send him...I was thinking the middle finger. If you guys have suggestions, let me know.

Thanks all

 

[Kate]

oh yes.. now i know they got my contact details from sedo..

How and why do you think they got your details from Sedo.
There is an easier way. Anybody can compile lists of the newly registered domains on a daily basis, then scrape the whois and sent sp(c)am to domain owners.

Thanks guys....so where do I go from here?

Charge back

If enough people file reports about a scam, the chances are good someone will shut them down.

Exactly. Report them. Merchant accounts that have excessive charge back rates are terminated. >2% maybe, it's perfectly achievable.

P.S. And DON'T feel so bad. If this was not a clever scam, they would not be using it. Now you know you can't trust anyone where money is involved.

Actually it's not that clever.
First they offer huge amounts of money in a heartbeat. Even a loaded end user will attempt to negotiate as a matter of principle - whatever their financial means.
Second, why don't they purchase the appraisal themselves for 59 euros if they are willing to pay that amount * 100.
It's common sense.
Scams are successful because they capitalize on naïveté and greed
Finally, use google. If you bother to look up the E-mail addresses the scam is immediately apparent.

 

[nielsencl]

I don't understand why people think those that get scammed are idiots. And even if they are not smart, what that that have to do with what crooks do??? I'm sorry that you had to have this happen to change your perspective, but perhaps others that are unsympathetic will learn from it too. The "idiots" are not doing anything illegal.

And everyone should report scammers. If you don't know how to send a professional spam report that is taken seriously, PM me and I will provide instrauctions. It's easy and it's effective.

 

[snoop]

BTW, I'll send him another email with an "appraisal", but I need something good to send him...I was thinking the middle finger. If you guys have suggestions, let me know.

Thanks all

The best thing you can do is dispute the charge, he'll typically get some kind of penalty with the merchant account provider I think.

 

[ezimedia]

It you paid via a cc then do a charge back... more charge backs they get the more likely they will loose their merchant account.