Tragic stories in domain inquiries

[decades80]

Hi there,

just want to get your opinion on this. In the last years I got some email inquiries about my domains with tragic stories. just got 1 last week from Riga, Latvia. The whole family is ill and they want to start a blog about recovery and want a half premium domain. The interesting about that is, that the domainnamesales.com offer of 100 USD came from 2 different (seem fake) email addresses. And there was a tragic story about of 10 years of serious mental disorders in the family. Interesting is that the email sounded rational, no way someone with such serious disease could write it in such a way. It was mentioning the God 3 times, I suppose he or she deducted I am from The States. Its really strange, but those kind of emails come as per rule from Baltic countries or Eastern Europe. How do you react in such inquiries, do you investigate if the story is real and you sell them domain cheap? Or you conclude that they may want a good domain, make a website and sell it on Flippa in few months?

 

[McDuke]

I would offer to find a decent hand reg / drop for them to reg.

 

[decades80]

Thanks he said he is not interested in hand reg... He wants kind of #premium# name for his blog.

 

[McDuke]

They could reg, the . info or wait for .blog to hit the market or use a hyphen. It sounds like they are looking to buy cheap to flip...

 

[Hybrid Names]

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[decades80]

I think faking chronic or deadly diseases in order to profit out of it, lower you cant go really...

 

[Optimal Names]

....you conclude that they may want a good domain, make a website and sell it on Flippa in few months...

I used to live in NYC. One time a homeless, dirty man walked up to me and begged me for money. He told me he was starving and had not eaten in 2 days. I felt bad for him but I know the scams that go on with that. So I walked 3 feet to the hot dog/pretzel cart guy and purchased him a hot dog, pretzel, bottle of water. I turned to give it to him and he was walking away. I caught up with him and asked him what he was doing, that he said he was starving. He threw his hands up and walked away again. The hot dog cart guy chuckled and told me that he doesnt want food, he wants drugs and needs money to buy them. Lesson learned.

The reality of life is such that the world isnt a nice place. People lie, cheat, steal, scam, and what better place than the Internet.

Next they might email you and tell you that this sick family has a lot of money but its tied up and they need to get a lawyer. But if you send them $500 for an attorney, they'll repay you $5000 when they get their money freed up.

Tread carefully.

I would offer to find them a suitable domain but dont be surprised if you turn around and see him walking away throwing his hands in the air.

 

[Optimal Names]

I think faking chronic or deadly diseases in order to profit out of it, lower you cant go really...

Google "faked cancer for money" --- the problem, itself, is chronic.

 

[RapidNames.com]

100% they are scammers. No Mercy for Sh*t people.

 

[McDuke]

I think faking chronic or deadly diseases in order to profit out of it, lower you cant go really...

Well that's just it, If they have to have this one certain "premium" domain and are not willing to pay the value or listen to other helpful suggestions then im not sure what to think here.The type of blog you have suggested I'm thinking could have various domains. It's more about the content getting the story / awareness out rather than the domain driving traffic. You know best, hope it works out!

 

[decades80]

@AGAME Dont be so strict with drug addicts or alcohol abusers. I mean its a disease not a habit. I know the homeless people would spend the money on alcohol or drugs when I give something to them. I mean they kind of need them without appropriate treatment. Otherwise simply to cut off drugs or alcohol can have deadly consequences. They are homeless and living on the streets can make you really egocentric and manipulative. BUT I suppose this guy is not homeless...

 

[Miks]

Unfortunately, it' so easy to fake something like this over e-mail, and it's very sad that there are people out there who actually do it. Hardly doubtable somebody in that situation would care much weather they got premium or very similar, hand reg domain.

Not saying that this is the case in this situation, but kind of sounds like it, tough..

I am originally from Latvia, not from Riga tough. If you are interested to genuinely find out whether The whole family actually is suffering with condition they are claiming, I guess it can be done via social networks, there surely should be lot of people who knows about this. If their family really have been suffering with illness for 10 years and are planning for project like this, there should be something in local mass media too, I would think.

 

[Optimal Names]

@AGAME Dont be so strict with drug addicts or alcohol abusers. I mean its a disease not a habit. I know the homeless people would spend the money on alcohol or drugs when I give something to them. I mean they kind of need them without appropriate treatment. Otherwise simply to cut off drugs or alcohol can have deadly consequences. They are homeless and living on the streets can make you really egocentric and manipulative. BUT I suppose this guy is not homeless...

I dont mean to come off cold or anything. Living in NYC for 2 decades put a very thick skin on me. I have a sincere respect for the disease. Like the saying goes: hate the sin but not the sinner.

By my story was about someone you could interact with in person. That was my point. I could see him, talk to him, shook his hand..... with the Internet, you have no idea who you're dealing with. Could be the COO of a multi-billion dollar global corporation who paid his nephew's girlfriend's brother to "try to get that domain name for as cheap as you can, dont spend more than XXX amount and I'll pay you YYY amount". The thing is, who knows. All you see is your computer monitor.

 

[Enfant]

Dear xxx,

I am very excited to give you my domain, but I would like to know that this domain will serve its purpose. Just like you might be new in domaining and do not know that domain is digital asset with big value, I am also new to the process of recovery, because I never experienced this. I would like to learn more about it and I am offering you to dedicate 10 minutes of your time everyday for 2 weeks to give me some insights of the process of recovery. We can do it trough Skype chat sessions. After 2 weeks I will transfer domain to you.

Truly domainer :D,
Skype ID

P.S. What person will talk about in that 10 min timeframe is not important. What important is he will show his good faith and willingness to fight for what he craves for. And honestly... I think one "Skype session" is enough

 

[Jasonn]

i don't respond to any inquires that have a 'story'. 99.9% of the time its all lies and even its not, its not my problem and i am not going to base prices on a sob story.

 

[Enfant]

Jasonn,

You know the real truth because you had experience, and Decades80 didn't have such experience. That's why he is confused and comes to the forum to seek our opinion.

The real "Receiver" of the "sample letter" is Decades80 and no one else. I personally do not write such emails, but I do not mind to take my time to help the guy to free his mind from being emotionally bothered over the "tragic story". I can see from his posts that he is very kind hearted guy. Shooting 1 email will not take much time, but will put an end to the game "true or not true"...

 

[discobull]

If these people are legitimately sick ( 99.99% chance they are not ), they will continue to be just as sick after you give them the domain. If you were a doctor and they were asking to be cured for free, I could understand how you might feel some obligation towards them, but since getting a good domain is not going to improve anyone's health I would see this for what it is: an attempt to manipulate you into giving them a handout. If you're having trouble getting past it, you can call their bluff as follows:

"Dear Con-artist [ <-- change this to their actual name ], I am sympathetic to your situation and definitely want to help. While I'm not able to sell you the domain at the requested price, I am willing to point it towards your blog free of charge for as long as you continue to write about your family's illnesses. Let me know when your blog is ready to go live and we can begin. "

 

[Enfant]

I am speechless, the idea of Discobull is brilliant! True domainer!

 

[DomainVP]

Just ignore them, you aren't in this to win a humanitarian prize; you have your own life you need to take care of.

A premium domain doesn't move a blog, the content does. Plenty of premium domain blogs out there with 3 likes.