New form of 419 fraud using domain names

[unloader]

Today I received the following unsolicited email inquiry regarding one of my domains:

Hello,

What is the price of your domain?

Investing in domains is a profitable business and our company is
interested in good and easy-to-remember domain names.

Looking forward to do business with you.

If you have other domains for sale feel free to send your list.

Regards,
Sean Thompson
CEO
Elite Invest LLC

After responding to the inquiry, I received the following suspicious response.

We were celebrating newborn child of my brother. I apologize for delay with my answer.

Can you accept 15,000 USD for the following package:
> (list of 3 domain names)

Do you sell domain with a web site or just the name?

Domain without content is ok with me. Web site is not necessary.

Have you had your domain names evaluated in the past? I mean domain
appraisals. Without valuation we cannot be sure in the sale price. It's very
important for me in terms of reselling too. But we must engage a valuation
company with REAL manual service. So I will only accept valuations from
independent sources I and my partners trust.

To avoid mistakes I asked domain experts about reputable appraisal
companies.

Please check this blog with suggestions from other sellers and buyers:
http://domainblog.007sites.com/692017.htm

If, for example, the valuation comes higher you can adjust your asking
price accordingly. It will be fair. I also hope you can give me 12% - 15%
discount.

After you send me the valuation via email (usually it takes 1-2 days to
obtain it) we'll continue our negotiations.

Recognizing this as a scam, I naturally told the guy to get lost.

In summary, it now seems that scammers are trying to use 419 "advanced fee fraud" to get domainers to pay for "evaluation services" that are required before handing over tens of thousands of dollars for domains that are not worth that much. As with all 419 scams, it relies upon the fact that domainers are trying to make money, and some of them might be greedy enough to fall for this scam.

This might not be new, but I've never seen 419s used with domains before, and thought everyone should be informed.

 

[Biggie]

there are several threads here relating to the same type of email

http://www.dnforum.com/f557/sounds-legit-thread-359409.html


use the forum search feature to find others: kw = domainblog

 

[JoshuaPz]

That's not a 419 message. It's the classic appraisal scam that's been spoke of repeatedly throughout several domain forums. The scammer will then say "Let's do this professional way" (poor grammar, clearly) and ask you to obtain an appraisal from a scam appraisal site he created for around $50-$100. You shoot him the appraisal, then he says he's no longer interested in the domain name and walks away with your $50-$100.

The appraisal scammer utilizes an arsenal of free e-mail addresses and company names as facades for his operation, but the dialogue always follows the same general form.

 

[unloader]

That's not a 419 message. It's the classic appraisal scam that's been spoke of repeatedly throughout several domain forums.

Actually, it is a 419 scam, which according to wikipedia is defined thus:

"An advance-fee fraud is a confidence trick in which the target is persuaded to advance sums of money in the hope of realizing a significantly larger gain."

 

[Arrogance]

Its a right of passage in domaining to get that email

 

[Devil Dog]

Welcome to to the year 2005.

 

[nascar59]

those emails are a dime a dozen,I have received them many times the only thing that changes that I noticed Is the email address.But Iam sure many people are drawn into the messege and contact these creeps stay away for sure