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Need guidance with my domain name

by krysti
16 replies
Hi there members,

I am really hoping that I can get some guidance here about an unusual email I received this morning. I received an email from an international company who sells domain names and they said that an investor wants to purchase several domain names with the Prefix as my domain name but he wants to buy the domain name with a different suffix, instead of .com, he wants to buy .com.cn, .asia, .cn, ect. But the kicker is he wants to buy the "internet brand" of my domain as well which I don't understand.

I emailed them back stating that I have owned this particular domain name.com for 8 years. I explained that I don't own any other .net or .asia ect. I feel that this is either a scam for me to buy all the domain names or this is really true. Can they buy the Internet brand of my domain name? So here is the response I got back from them. I will just block out his name and my domain name. (by the way, I just emailed them back stating that I would look into the legalities of this matter and get back with them. Would love some help on this)
Krysti

Dear mam ,
Thanks for your prompt reply.As far as we know, Mr. J blank want to apply for the following names:

mydomain.cn
mydomain.com.cn
mydomain .asia
mydomain.net.cn
mydomain.hk
And Internet Brand "mydomain ".
You would know domain name takes open registration, this is international domain name registration principle. So Mr blank has right to register it.
If you think his registration will confuse your clients and harm your profits, we can send an application document to you and help you register these domains within our approving period. This is a better way to prevent domain name dispute. If you think his application will not affect your company, you can give up, we will finish his registration. Hope get your decision as soon as possible so that we can handle the next step

Best regards

Your Sincerely
Tina
Oversea Marketing Manager
-------------------------------------------
Room 1008,
International Building,
No.38 YueLong road,NanTong City
#domain #domain name help #guidance
  • Profile picture of the author ozduc
    Hi Krysti,
    I think the "internet brand" they are referring to is the .com which you own. They can register the .net .org .asia etc. if you have not registered them. Unless you have a trademark of the name then it would be difficult for you to do anything about that. If you dont want anyone else to have the other extensions of your domain then you can just register them yourself at godaddy or another register. You could always see what sort of offer they have in mind for your .com. It may be worth selling it, depending on your current income from the site.
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  • Profile picture of the author acrasial
    This sounds like a scam of some sorts to me. If he wanted to buy the domain name he would head over to a hosting company, not email you like this.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    As long as they aren't requiring you to spend any money ... this does not sound like a scam. It sounds like they may be doing due diligence before buying domains and attempting to avoid domain name disputes. If you have no objection to them registering those domains, tell them that and see where it goes from there.

    They could, of course, simply register them and take their chances that you won't claim trademark on them and file a domain dispute.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lisa Gergets
    If the letter was written with poor English usage as well as poor spelling and punctuation, I'd assume it's a scam of some sort.

    What I mean is, if the letter was written exactly as you have it here, I seriously question it's legitimacy.
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  • Profile picture of the author TelegramSam
    It is a scam.

    Basically, they are trying to get you to buy domain names, by fooling you into thinking someone is going to buy names similar to yours.

    Now that you have emailed them, you are likely to get even more garbage emails.

    Sam
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by TelegramSam View Post

      It is a scam.

      Basically, they are trying to get you to buy domain names, by fooling you into thinking someone is going to buy names similar to yours.

      Now that you have emailed them, you are likely to get even more garbage emails.

      Sam
      I'm trying to figure how this would be a scam. You are free to register domain names at any registrar that you choose, so how are they going to benefit from this?
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      • Profile picture of the author TelegramSam
        You register through them and they get the higher than normal fees.

        They are trying to panic you into buying obscure domain names.

        It's as simple as that.

        We've received similar solicitations many times in the past.
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      • Profile picture of the author Gary King
        Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

        I'm trying to figure how this would be a scam. You are free to register domain names at any registrar that you choose, so how are they going to benefit from this?

        They will kindly do the registration FOR you. They are trying to suggest that one of THEIR clients is registering names similar to hers and that she has one last shot to save this from happening.

        "If you think his registration will confuse your clients and harm your profits, we can send an application document to you and help you register these domains within our approving period. This is a better way to prevent domain name dispute. If you think his application will not affect your company, you can give up, we will finish his registration"

        Note the "we can send an application... and help you register these domains".

        It may not be a scam per se, but why would a registrar contact another domain holder to "warn" them that someone is buying similar domains and give them the chance to stop that transaction?

        If not a scam, they are certainly not going to charge 10 bucks for the domain.

        My advice, delete it and don't reply further. If you DO want domains like the ones they mention, register them with your current registrar, not them.

        Look at it this way, if you use them as a registrar (which they probably are not) then every time you try to register a new name, they will go find similar names, warn those owners and whammo, you get denied because someone else has a name similar to that and wants it instead... ever have that happen? Nope, if the name is available, it just gets registered.

        Have a great day!
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        • Profile picture of the author krysti
          Hi all,

          Boy you guys and gals rock! Thank you all so much for your help. I do feel
          that they are just trying to get me to buy more domains through them. I
          haven't heard back from them since I stated "I would look into the legalities"
          of it all. I'll delete the email like you suggested and move on.

          Thanks again and have a good day all!
          Krysti
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          Take good care,

          Krysti

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        • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Gary King View Post

          They will kindly do the registration FOR you. They are trying to suggest that one of THEIR clients is registering names similar to hers and that she has one last shot to save this from happening.

          "If you think his registration will confuse your clients and harm your profits, we can send an application document to you and help you register these domains within our approving period. This is a better way to prevent domain name dispute. If you think his application will not affect your company, you can give up, we will finish his registration"

          Note the "we can send an application... and help you register these domains".

          It may not be a scam per se, but why would a registrar contact another domain holder to "warn" them that someone is buying similar domains and give them the chance to stop that transaction?

          If not a scam, they are certainly not going to charge 10 bucks for the domain.

          My advice, delete it and don't reply further. If you DO want domains like the ones they mention, register them with your current registrar, not them.

          Look at it this way, if you use them as a registrar (which they probably are not) then every time you try to register a new name, they will go find similar names, warn those owners and whammo, you get denied because someone else has a name similar to that and wants it instead... ever have that happen? Nope, if the name is available, it just gets registered.

          Have a great day!

          Yeah ... you're right. This is the first time I've seen this one. I've seen the domain appraisal scam many times, but this looks like a new one.
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          • Profile picture of the author Gary King
            Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

            Yeah ... you're right. This is the first time I've seen this one. I've seen the domain appraisal scam many times, but this looks like a new one.

            The appraisal one is bad too!

            The other I have seen (not to hijack the thread here, ok) is the renewal letter.

            A letter is physically mailed from a "Domain Renewal Company" or something like that when your domain is 4 months or so from expiration. It's actually very concerning - "if you don't renew immediately, you'll lose your domain forever!" and that sort of jazz...

            What actually happens is either:
            a) you transfer to them as a registrar or reseller

            or worse

            b) you transfer your domain to them, as in, to them as the owner. You can take it from there as to what happens next.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
    Hi Krysti,

    I have received that same email before. It's a bunch of horse-hoooy. They are hoping you will fall for it, and you will purchase/register all those other domains with them.

    It might even be a phishing attempt.

    I've always ignored their email, and nothing has ever come of it.

    :-Don
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  • Profile picture of the author IMChick
    Scam. I can't remember where I read about this, but is really is an original idea. Just imagine what they could accomplish if they put those criminal minds to work in a real business!

    Ignore it. Since you've answered, just block their email or categorize the next one as junk.
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