legal Appraise scam alert / Vincent Couwenberg

[Rico]

Hello!

I represent a big investor from Hong Kong who wants to purchase xxxxx.com

Please specify your asking price in the subject of your message.

My client has $419,000 budget for 50-55 domains. He is also interested in purchasing short (2-6 letters), adult, gambling, insurance and banking related names..

I'd like to know your favorite payment method : Bank transfer, Paypal, Escrow or something else. If this is your first time domain sale I may help you with the sale/transfer process.

Are you a member of domain name forums? Probably, we even know each other.

Best regards,

Vincent Couwenberg

VP Hosting

Switzerland
Bern
Langmauerweg 24
Phone: 031 311 45 65

 

[MarkWWW]

Well planned scam. Got the same e-mail, this is his followup if you respond to him:

My client offers $12,000. Ok. Great!

Before we proceed my investor needs only one thing from you:


As you may know all major domain brokers does not allow listing above $1000 or higher if you don't have an official appraisal. Since the sale price is not low in our case, my client needs an official certificate of price (appraisal). He also needs to know you have no trademark problems. It won't be a problem since I know an official appraiser that offers this option (trademark infringement verification) for free as a part of the appraisal service.


I'm also interested in a good valuation and a high sale price because my client pays me a commission (10-15% of the sale price) on every domain purchase. So I'm not interested in low sales too.


Of course, you should not use a free automated service like Estibot or similar services. My client won't accept them. I was working for Estibot and knew they were using automated scripts for free appraisals. In our case we need a real manual valuation.


Several years ago, to avoid mistakes and wasting money on useless automated services I asked in Google answers about reliable manual valuation/TM verification services. Please read this: http://archive-google.com/archive/5196473.htm


The process is very easy:


1. Go to the appraisal site and order the valuation with the TM verification. Submit your domains to them and let them know you have a buyer with $X,XXX offer so you need the appraisal near this value. After several hours you will get the results.


2. Then send these results via email and we'll proceed with the deal.


If you are new to the appraisal process I can help you with a step by step instructions.
Best regards,


V. Couwenberg


Director Of Investor Relations


Bern
Langmauerweg 27
Phone: 031 311 45 63

 

[Shane]

I received the same email.

 

[robertlg]

I too have received a similar version of this email, was pretty excited until I stumbled upon this thread. Oh well back to the daily grind
____________________________________________________

Hello!

I represent a big investor from Hong Kong who wants to purchase xxxx.com.

Please specify your asking price in the subject of your message.

My client has $527,000 budget for 55-65 domains. He is also interested in purchasing short names, banking, gambling, insurance and financial names.

I'd like to know your favorite payment method : Bank transfer, Paypal, Escrow or something else. If this is your first time domain sale I may help you with the sale/transfer process.

Are you a member of domain name forums? Probably, we even know each other.

Best regards,

Victor Couwenberg

Director Of Investor Relations

Bern
Langmauerweg 27
Phone: 031 311 45 63
__________________________________________________________________

 

[Gerry]

Received today. Looks like Bern changed his name to Basel:

Hello!

I'm a broker of an investor from the United Kingdom who wants to buy your carolinahammerhead.com.

My client has $429 000 budget for multiple domain names. Please specify your asking price in the subject of your message.

Our company provides brokerage services for investors. They invest in web projects and domain names.

I'm working with many investors from USA, Canada, China, UAE etc. If you have other domains for sale please email them to me. I will offer them to my clients.

Please let me know the best way to: IBAN/ACH/Wire transfer, Check, Western Union or Paypal. If it's your first time sale I can help you with the transfer process.

I look forward to doing business with you.

Best regards,

Helmut Rothenberger

Domain Broker

VP Services

Switzerland
Basel
Centralbahnstrasse 16
Phone: 061 206 09 84

He is using the email address of services at vpspace dot info

 

[Dantiva]

Received today. Looks like Bern changed his name to Basel:

Hello!

I'm a broker of an investor from the United Kingdom who wants to buy your carolinahammerhead.com.

My client has $429 000 budget for multiple domain names. Please specify your asking price in the subject of your message.

Our company provides brokerage services for investors. They invest in web projects and domain names.

I'm working with many investors from USA, Canada, China, UAE etc. If you have other domains for sale please email them to me. I will offer them to my clients.

Please let me know the best way to: IBAN/ACH/Wire transfer, Check, Western Union or Paypal. If it's your first time sale I can help you with the transfer process.

I look forward to doing business with you.

Best regards,

Helmut Rothenberger

Domain Broker

VP Services

Switzerland
Basel
Centralbahnstrasse 16
Phone: 061 206 09 84

He is using the email address of services at vpspace dot info

I had the exact same email 2 days ago! :disappointed: Helmut strikes again.

 

[akropolis]

why are adresses from switzerland so popular for scammers?

 

[katherine]

Because Switzerland = money ?

 

[SDEXPERTS]

Here is one more...

[email protected] via xxxxxx.com
Mar 22 (2 days ago)

to domain
Hello!

I'm a broker of an investor from Brunei who wants to buy your xxxxxxxxxxx.com.

My client has $408 000 budget for 45-50 domains. Please specify your asking price in the subject of your message.

Our company is in hosting business. We also provide brokerage services for investors.

I'm working with many investors from USA, Canada, China, UAE etc. If you have other domains for sale please email them to me. I will offer them to my clients.

Please let me know the best way to pay you: IBAN/Wire transfer, Check, Western Union or Paypal. If it's your first time sale I can help you with the transfer process.

Best regards,

Isaac Franke

Domain Broker

Cloud Hosting Swiss

Switzerland
Basel
Centralbahnstrasse 19
Phone: 061 206 09 72

Me [email protected]
Mar 22 (2 days ago)

to info
Send your offer.

Sent from my iPhone


Broker [email protected]
Mar 22 (2 days ago)

to me
My client offers $15,000.

Ok. Great! Before we proceed my investor needs only one thing from you:

As you may know all major domain brokers does not allow listing above $1000 or higher if you don't have an official appraisal. Since the sale price is not low in our case, my client needs an official certificate of price (appraisal). He also needs to know you have no trademark problems. It won't be a problem since I know an official appraiser that offers this option (trademark infringement verification) for free as a part of the appraisal service.

I'm also interested in a good valuation and a high sale price because my client pays me a commission (10-15% of the sale price) on every domain purchase. So I'm not interested in low sales too.

Of course, you should not use a free automated service like Estibot or similar services. My client won't accept them. I was working for Estibot and knew they were using automated scripts for free appraisals. In our case we need a real manual valuation. The appraisal will also increase the value of your domain.

To avoid mistakes and wasting money on useless automated services I asked in the forum about reliable manual valuation/TM verification services. Please read this: http://www.archive-google.com/threads/threadview849713605.htm

The process is very easy:

1. Go to the appraisal site and order the valuation with the TM verification. Submit your domains to them and let them know you have a buyer with $X,XXX offer so you need the appraisal near this value. After several hours you will get the results.

2. Then send these results via email and we'll proceed with the deal.

If you are new to the appraisal process I can help you with a step by step instructions.

 

[Gerry]

I love this from the bogus recommendations:

My client will buy those three dot com names we discussed previously. I've already sent $34,600 to your PayPal account.

Seriously...going to send that kind of money immediately to a PayPal account?

 

[GoPC]

Just got this same email today for GolfGloves.net... although there is no name or budget amount attached to it. Same or perhaps a varient/copy-cat?

Scott

 

[GoPC]

So... I sent the "buyer" an email back with a link to THIS thread and a few others I have found that are similar and asked him to explain himself. We'll see what happens.

Scott

 

[xmxsummer]

So... I sent the "buyer" an email back with a link to THIS thread and a few others I have found that are similar and asked him to explain himself. We'll see what happens.

Scott

I think he's just changed from appraising to brokering xD

Hello!

I'm a broker of an investor from Austria who wants to buy your multireviewer.com.

My client has a six figure budget for 50-60 domains. Please specify your asking price in the subject of your message.

Our company is in hosting business. We also provide brokerage services for investors.

I'm working with many domain investors. If you have other domains for sale please email them to me. I will offer them to my clients.

If it's your first time sale I can help you with the escrow/transfer process.

Best regards,

Mark Silberstein

Vice President Investor Relations

Virtual Space Hosting

Switzerland
Basel
Centralbahnstrasse 27
Phone: 061 206 09 92

 

[chipmeade]

"My client runs a wildly successful domain appraisal company and is in need of 40-50 domains for his portfolio. He makes money hand over fist from unsuspecting dolts. He would like to purchase your domains for lots of money but simply needs some sure of idea what they are worth. Can you see where I am going with this...?"