legal Is Namescout.com a scammer ?

[digitorum]

I need your advice here and i want also want people let know about this registrar Namescout.com. Here's the story:
i bought 7 domains here at Dnforum 2 months ago, 1 was registred at domainsystems and 6 at namescout.com, where i created new account in order to have them transfered to me.
2 weeks ago i try to log at namescout and my access is blocked, here are the email exchange with the support staff:


My first email:
#######################################
from Domains Chris N. <[email protected]>
to [email protected],
date Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 4:32 PM
subject problem with my account
mailed-by gmail.com

hide details Mar 31


Reply


hi,

i cannot login to my account: diXXXX
my email: [email protected]

thx for unlocking it

Chris
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their reply:
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Subject
---------------------------------------------------------------
problem with my account


Discussion Thread
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Response (David Lewis) - 03/31/2008 05:41 PM
Hello

Thank you for contacting Customer Service.

Our records show that your account has been placed on hold at this time as there was a charge back on your account. If you wish to re-instate the account, you will need to contact our customer service and make arrangements to pay the oustanding balance. Please note that there is also a $50 USD administration fee for all chargebacks.

Our contact information can be found at http://namescout.com/contact.asp

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My 2 replies (as i was pretty pissed off):
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[===> Please enter your reply below this line <===]

What are you talking about, i opened this account recently, i got some domain names registred there that i bought form a domainer, he's username at namescout was XXXXX , can you give me details of what i "owe" you ???
- Hide quoted text -



[===> Please enter your reply above this line <===]

[===> Please enter your reply below this line <===]

Second message: you better give me full details on whats going on, you CLOSED my account where i have DOMAINS registred, i have no more access to them, be sure i will talk about that on the most famous domain name forums like namepros.com , dnforum.com and domainstate.com. Be sure to take well care of this situtation and in order with law. Thank you

Christophe




[===> Please enter your reply above this line <===]
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I had no reply to those emails, i submitted another ticket:

####################################3
i sent you yesterday 2 emails replying to [Incident: 080331-010930] , my account was blocked without any reason, i never received any email from you for any payment, i haven't made any purchase from your company, i just transfered 6 names to a new namescount account i created, i'm waiting for a detailed reply since yesterday

regards

Chris
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To which they replied:

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Discussion Thread
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Response (David Lewis) - 04/02/2008 02:34 PM
Hello

Thank you for your reply. I have asked our Accounting department to look up the account and provide a detailed breakdown of the current amount owing on the account. As soon as I have this information, I will send an email with the information that you are looking for.

We apologize for any delay and/or inconvenience.
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They replied 5 days after that:
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Subject
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Amount Owing on Account


Discussion Thread
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Response (David Lewis) - 04/07/2008 09:08 AM
Hello

I apologize for the delay in responding. The Accounting department has looked into the account and has found the following information for you:

The total amount owing is US$590.00 ($540 + charge back fee o $50) for the following domains

flzq.com
qjjp.com
bzaw.com
btzo.com
iixz.com
hhvb.com
qbqp.com
bbxj.com
svvj.com

Please contact our Customer Service to arrange payment of this amount to remove the hold from your account. We may be contacted either by email to [email protected] or by calling 613-768-5140.
#############################################

today i replied this:

#######################################
******* MY REPLY: ************************************************** ****************


Hi,

first i want to undesrtand for what are you billing me ? registration ? renewal ? why is it a manual process ? these domains are registred till almost the end of the year, i hope i will get an entire reply form you

second: i own only 6 domains at you, and flzq.com is registred at domainsystems.com , my domains are:

bbxj.com
hhvb.com
iixz.com
qbqp.com
qjjp.com
svvj.com

i bought these domains from a named XXXXX 2 months ago, he transfered them from his account to mine, and now you blocked my account. Can you explain me: did i get scammed by this person or are you trying to scam me ?
I'm posting this on popular forum names, i will provide you the link in my next email. You guys do not look too much professional: one week to give me a reply, you bill me without giving a reason, you block my account for i don't know why. Reply to this email and i will call you it will be easier. Thank you

Christophe N.

####################################

the domain name flzq.com which they are trying to charge me is registred at domainsystems and i own it and have full acces to it,

i do not own these two for which they want to charge me as well:
bzaw.com
btzo.com


any one got problems with them ?
what are they charging for ? did i get scammed by the seller ? (knowing he's an exclusive member here at dnforum and that the total transaction was for $350)

or are Namescout.com guys trying to scam me by getting these domains for themselves ? because i get a bill without a valid purpose, and it is made by hand (not automatic system like we all use at different registrars)

thanks guys in advance for letting me know what you think

Chris N.

 

[domain newbie]

very peculiar, what is this bill for ? sounds like a scammers rather than dumb ****ers,

ask them to send a detailed invoice and start filling up the complaint, also pm the seller- he might know something you dont

here is the link i know to complain http://reports.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi

also try email here:

NameScout Corp.
Whitepark House, White Park Road Bridgetown
Barbados
1-613-225-2000
[email protected]

 

[digitorum]

yes, it is ,

the bill i got wasn't any purpose, it was done through the mail (it is the mail i joined) and my request was done through the support ticket system:

I apologize for the delay in responding. The Accounting department has looked into the account and has found the following information for you:

The total amount owing is US$590.00 ($540 + charge back fee o $50) for the following domains

the seller wasn't online since like 2 weeks

thanks for the link, i keep that under my arm, just waiting for their next move

Added info:

Seems to be a scam from a person buying domains at pool with fraudulent credit card then reselling the names at domain forums, after some time when the money is withdrawed from the registrar, they block the domains

 

[domaingenius]

Hmm, so the scammers get paid twice ,all from dodgy credit card. What with dodgy registrars and dodgy sellers its getting pretty hard to know who to do business with nowadays.

DG

 

[Rebel.com]

digitorum I work for the sister company and parent company to Namescout.com. If you need some help looking into this feel free to PM me or email [email protected]. From the sounds of this the seller didn't pay for the domain he sold you which is why they have been locked down. If you want me to look into this let me know. I can assure you Namescout.com is not trying to scam you.

 

[theinvestor]

Who was the seller? This is good information to know.

 

[denny007]

Namescout are not scammer. Mess - yes, but not scammers. I see THIS happened:
those domains are from Pool drops. Someone got it from Pool drops $60 a pop, paid with credit card. Then sold the domains to you and made a chargeback (or the Pool auction was paid with stolen CC which is practically same).

The names shows at may registrars because Namescout works same way as manage.snapnames or Dotster (mydomains.com) - its domains managed via one panel regged at several registrars from same group.

 

[Credit]

Please provide the member's username here on the forum, we need to label these bastards ASAP to avoid more harm.

I'm sure namescout will settle your situation, they are usually helpful with such things, you just have to be patient.

Best of luck.

 

[digitorum]

digitorum I work for the sister company and parent company to Namescout.com. If you need some help looking into this feel free to PM me or email [email protected]. From the sounds of this the seller didn't pay for the domain he sold you which is why they have been locked down. If you want me to look into this let me know. I can assure you Namescout.com is not trying to scam you.

thx, just sent you a PM

the seller is an exclusive member here, maybe he was scammed himself ?
i bought on the forum flzq.com from him and privately 6 other 4 letter .coms (all listed in my first thread) for $350 in total

 

[Rebel.com]

I've looked into the issue and unfortunately the seller was not scammed himself. They purchased the domains, sold the domains and then issued a chargeback. The issue will need to be addressed through the seller.

 

[James]

I've looked into the issue and unfortunately the seller was not scammed himself. They purchased the domains, sold the domains and then issued a chargeback. The issue will need to be addressed through the seller.

theinvestor Who was the seller? This is good information to know.

.

So is it safe to say that in this forum if you do a "search" of bzaw.com the user that had them listed for sale is the one that did the chargeback after selling these domains ??... not necessarily directed to you Rebel..

 

[Dave Zan]

I've looked into the issue and unfortunately the seller was not scammed himself. They purchased the domains, sold the domains and then issued a chargeback. The issue will need to be addressed through the seller.

Hmm, I wonder why the seller did that if it's indeed the case...

 

[digitorum]

search for flzq.com , it's the member that did the sale, what is funny that he's an exclusive member here

edit: i just saw he was online yesterday !

he have these domains on sale since december ! why the chargeback occured so late ?

############################################
So at the end: yes they are innocent, they just hold MY domains, which is illegal. I consider it their Responsabilty to manage that problem:
they legally allowed the transfer of the domain

second thing: they try to make me pay and will not sue the person responsible for this, you find it normal ?

so till they do not take responsability for that, i consider them as acting illegaly: these domains are mine and they block them!

 

[Rebel.com]

With some credit cards it is possible to issue a chargeback up to 6 months to 1 year after the actual purchase. These domain names were never paid for, how can you consider reclaiming stolen property as illegal? The only crime that was committed was done so by the person who sold you the domains. I can certainly understand your anger and frustration but it is misdirected.

 

[digitorum]

With some credit cards it is possible to issue a chargeback up to 6 months to 1 year after the actual purchase. These domain names were never paid for, how can you consider reclaiming stolen property as illegal? The only crime that was committed was done so by the person who sold you the domains. I can certainly understand your anger and frustration but it is misdirected.

and you'll tell me they will take action against that person ? no, they won't, they haven't lost anything in this story

For me this is THEIR responsability, THEY have insurance against fraud, they have to use it, THEY are the profesional company not me, an individual. THEY made the sale. THEY allowed the transfer from one person to another. Point.

 

[James]

If you bought the domains here why don't you PM the member and try to get it straightened out..if not start a new thread and post the details with the users name in the title??
Rebel's post is quite clear.. the transaction was charged back by the seller (as this is quite good for you to know being posted by a rep. from the company).. I can't see how thats namescouts fault (maybe I'm wrong) you owe it to yourself to expose this thief (if they are )..even though we have a good idea of who it is it was your transaction and you have the facts.
I'm sure the admin. here would take action against this user (as the transaction took place here) but you keep dancing around posting the members name..just because a member is exclusive doesn't mean they're beyond reproach
my 2 cents..

 

[digitorum]

Maybe because i am careful to not jump on someone without listening to what he has to say.

Be sure i will continue to post about this shame till it won't be sorted out, it can touch other domainers, i do this also to protect you against that kind of scam.

The seller of those names is: gptpark
I will open another thread for that, but to inform people about that scam this thread will stay opened.

What is a shame is that Pool/Namescout pass the cost of the scam on an individual and actually we can say they make money on the scammed person. They make a profit out of the scam. Yes, i clearly say at the end they make profit out of the scam:

they catch a name for registration fee, sell it for $60 , the payment is charged back, they block the domain asking the final owner $65 to pay for the chargeback AND they don't go after the scammer!

You find it normal and proefesional business ??

 

[James]

It appears no matter what facts are presented you seem hell-bent on blaming namescout.. The domains appear to of backordered through a dropcatcher (probably) pool. Pool as namejet..snapnames etc. has a minimum fee when they aquire a domain that was "ordered" from their service .. I would be pissed as you are but I would directing my time and effort to the seller that sold the domains to you and then charged-back the transaction..I see noway how namescout is responsible for the sellers action .
I'd be happy that namescout-(pool) hasn't put these domains up for sale to recoup their money.
I would imagine they closed the original buyers account.
go after gptpark
again just my 2¢
G/L

BTW I will deal with pool..namescout but not with gptpark untils he explains what happened on his end.

Btw-2 have you contacted him/her yet?

 

[digitorum]

Yes, he just told me his account was hacked and that he doesn't know about it all. He said also it has been straighten out with Jarred Cohen, who is he ?

 

[James]

Jarred is a administraor her at DNF MediaHound a good guy http://www.dnforum.com/f17/jarred-cohen-appointed-operations-manager-dnforum-com-thread-260967.html can't see how he can resolve a namescout transaction but if you have the domains congrats.. I would expect Jarred to clarify this though especially since a namescout rep. said the seller charged back the purchases after selling you the domains.. perhaps gptpark would also explain how this happened ??