security Sold domain on GoDaddy - Got email from the buyer? Or not

[golan]

Hello all.

I sold a domain on Godaddy auction. After few days checkings, GD sent me email "to contact the buyer through the email buyer link in your "Sold" section" about transferring the domain to him.

So i did, i contacted the buyer through that link in my GD account and asked him for his Dynadot forum name to make a push, or maybe he wants to transfer the domain elsewhere.

Few hours later, i got an email from somebody, not from GD, just a plain email as a "reply" to my message to the buyer, with all what i have written quoted, and there that "somebody" gives me his Dynadot forum name to make a push.

I logged in to my GD account, but there is no message from the buyer whatsoever.

Now, i got really suspicious. How can i be sure that the email i got is really from the buyer? What about a scenario when the buyer is a scammer and he sent my email to his associate and that associate replied to my email, and when i'll transfer the domain the buyer will claim he has never receive the domain (which is true in this case) from me and get his money back and i'll be left with neither domain nor money?

It's very strange GD doesn't give any assurance in these mailings. Even on Flippa all the conversations go through their "closing deal area".

Please advise.

 

[cloudguy]

When you are contacting a buyer through 'Email' in your sold section, prior to click send, GoDaddy asks you something like this 'Do you want us to send this message through your email associated with your GoDaddy account?'

Meaning when you send a message the buyer only sees your email address and they will reply to your email address.

This is my experience with this and never had a problem in the past.

 

[golan]

Meaning when you send a message the buyer only sees your email address and they will reply to your email address.

Yes but my concern is that i have no idea who emailed me - the real buyer or some impersonator?

 

[cloudguy]

Yes but my concern is that i have no idea who emailed me - the real buyer or some impersonator?

I guess you will need to trust the person replied to your email and proceed with the transaction.

 

[golan]

I think i'll email to the Auctions support and ask them.

 

[golan]

Update.

Got an email from GD support:

Thank you for contacting GoDaddy Auctions Support. It is smart to be suspicious of direct emails from someone claiming to be the buyer of the domain. Buyers are supposed to email through the panel in their Auctions account so that the seller can be sure the message is legitimate. What you can do is reply back to this email with the authorization code for the domain and we can assist the buyer with initiating the transfer of the domain into their GoDaddy account.

Still, it's unclear, since they say "Buyers are supposed to email through the panel in their Auctions account so that the seller can be sure the message is legitimate" but i got a plain email - was it sent through the GD or not?

Besides, the buyer wants me to make a push on Dynadot rather than transfer out. So i replied to the support with a question how do i make the push in a secured way. Still waiting for their next reply...

To be continued...

 

[golan]

Update.

Continuous emailing with GD Auctions support; each time a new rep replies and gives me pretty much the same answer:

Thank you for contacting AfterMarket Support. We are contacting the Buyer to facilitate the process.

The buyer has made the request to us also to take possession of the domain at dynadot.com.

Please contact the buyer via the email buyer link.

Dear ,

After payment, we have a 5 day verification period of the funds. You will need to use the "email buyer" link in the "Sold" section of your auction account.

See the following

• log into your auction account at http://auctions.godaddy.com
  
• hover over Selling List
  
• click Sold
  
• click "Email Buyer" link
  
  We request that they respond to you accordingly.

So we are going circles here. Meanwhile i sent to GD the auth code for the domain as they suggested earlier. But i'm not going to push the domain until GD themselves tell me where to push.

@Joe Styler maybe you can shed a light on how to make a push to the legit auction winner in a secured way? Thank you.

 

[tomcarl]

How about sending him another message via GoDaddy and ask him to confirm that it was him that sent you that email?

 

[think]

GoDaddy seriously needs to upgrade their interface for auction sales and escrow. Best of luck with your sale.

 

[golan]

How about sending him another message via GoDaddy and ask him to confirm that it was him that sent you that email?

I sent, but his reply came again from his email address, not from GD. I have a feeling that he was really replying from within GD panel but i'm still getting his messages from his email.

GoDaddy seriously needs to upgrade their interface for auction sales and escrow. Best of luck with your sale.

Thank you. In the end, he chose to get the domain with transfer. I sent the auth code to GD support so here i'm calm, whoever got the domain he did it from GD consent.

 

[Haris]

I am also worried about it. If the domain is at another registrar, The buyer might use another email to receive the domain and tell GD that he never received the domains..

Few days ago, I sold a domain at GD, GD authorized payment and told me I can push/transfer the domain to buyer, I contacted the buyer received the same plain reply from buyer sending me username and customer no. of another registrar so I can push, I was hesitant but didn't contact GD at that time and pushed the domain, now I don't know if he has confirmed push to GD or not! I can't use paypal at GD and have to use wire transfer for which total no. of sales should be more than $1000 and I haven't reached it yet. The total amount of our money that is with GoDaddy isn't mentioned anywhere. I think I will have to ask GoDaddy auctions support for assistance.

@Joe Styler Wouldn't it be great if all the dealing can be done at GoDaddy's site so you have access to the messages received and sent? There won't be any chance of fraud if this happens. Whenever the seller sends a message, GD can notify the buyer that he has received a message and vice-versa.. Please consider it.