Is this a scam? Fw: About "calacanis" intellectual property rights(TOCEO&Principal)

Yes, this is a scam. I’ve seen 2 of these in the past year.

- Aanarav

These trickle in to us at LinkUp occasionally, probably 1 every other week. Just a bunch of scam TLD people trying to drum up some business for their over-priced domains. Topping the list, the .cn, .hk and .ck registrars allow these nefarious parties to continue, and ICANN needs to step in and bring some order. The list of these schemes at http://www.firetrust.com/en/blog/chris/domain-name-scams really scares me with how many people probably fall for this junk.

My assumption is that it is a scam. I’ve received similar emails from them at work. We assumed they were a scam, but I can’t find any other info about this practice. You are the first other person I’ve seen to mention it online. So, yeah, that info probably doesn’t help but I can tell you that other people are getting them.

Yep, it’s a scam. I got this too. I strung them along a little while to see what happens.

Step 1 – Email comes to domain holder from fake registrar
Step 2 – “Other company” that is trying to secure the domain emails you saying that they still are applying for the domain.
Step 3 – Email from fake registrar asks again if you want to buy the domain.
Step 4 – Fake registrar quotes outlandish prices for the domains.

Kind regards,

-Drew

Yes, it’s a scam. Another blogger received a similar email, replied, and received an odd follow-up:

http://www.everybodygoto.com/2009/03/10/chinese-domain-name-scam/

Great post to bring to everyone’s attention, Jason!
Tiffany

Yep, it’s a scam. We got the same email to a variety of our company’s websites making the same “offer.” It’s just spam trying to bait you into registering your domains with them.

We were getting them at TN for a while. Different names used, but same idea. I’m not sure what the scam is, but it doesn’t seem legit.

ex:
—————–

Dear Principal,

We are a domain name registration center in HongKong and in charge of the registeration in Asia.We have something important need to confirm with your company.

On Sep.15th.2008, we received a formal application from a company called ” Windstorm invest Ltd ” applying to register
Internet trademark: thisnext

Domain names:
thisnext.asia
thisnext.com.tw
thisnext.hk
thisnext.tw
thisnext.ch
thisnext.fr
thisnext.ru

During our auditing procedure we find out that the alleged ” Windstorm invest Ltd ” has no trade mark, intellectual property, we have the duty to inform you this matter. If you do not know this company, we doubt that they have other aims to buy these domain names. In order to deal with this issue better, please let someone who can be in charge contact me as soon as possible.

Best Regards
Paker Lin
Auditing Department

Tel: 00852 9566 0205 00852 9566 0103
Fax: 00852 8226 1055
Email: paker.lin@china-net.hk.cn Directly: paker.lin@asiadm.org.cn
Web: http://www.netinchina.com.hk
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Confidentiality Notice. This is a letter for confirmation. If the mentioned third party is your business partner or distributor in China please do not reply. We will automatically confirm application from your business partner after this audit procedure.

Got a similar email June 10, 2009. Was pretty sure it was a scam but am glad to confirm via the posts here.

Got one of these last week.
See message below:

*
Dear CEO & Principal

We are a domain name registration and dispute organization in Asia, which mainly deal with the global companies’ domain name registration and internet Intellectual property right protection in Asia. Currently, we have a pretty important issue needing to confirm with your company.

On Aug 3,2009, we received an application formally. One company named “OMEE Holdings Ltd” wanted to applied for the Internet Keyword “our company name ” and some domain names through our body.

Now we are handling with the registration of these domain names and find that the keyword of these domain names and internet Internet Keyword is identical with your company’s. So we have to confirm with you at two points:
1. If your company consign OMEE company to register these domain names and internet Internet Keyword, we will send application form to them and help them finish the registration at once.
2. If your company have nothing to do with OMEE company, they maybe have other purposes to register these domain names and Internet Keyword.

I want to confirm that are you the corporate representative of this company? If you do, I will feedback some problems to you; if you do not, please send my words to your company’s cororate representative or lawyer. We need your answer of force adeffect. In order to deal with this issue better, please contact us by telephone or email as soon as possible.

Best Regards,

Eric
Auditing Department

They are still active…

Just got one today:

Dear CEO/Manager,

We are a domain name registration center in HongKong, mainly dealing with domain name registration and internet intellectual property rights protection. On Aug 20, 2009 we received a formal application from a company who is applying to register several domains, using “asuta” as the internet keyword. After investigation, we find that you are the original user of the keyword. Such similar domain cases may involve your company name or trade mark, and may cause website confusion and conflicts. For a responsible attitude, we inform you here and your opinion, in order to deal with this issue better, please contact us by email or telephone ASAP.

Looking forward to your reply.

Kind Regards,

Faithe

Phone: +852-31757931 (8001)
Fax: +852-31757932
Email: Faithe.Lee@hk-nsc.hk
Website: www .hknsc .hk

Confidentiality Statement:
The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorized. If you are not an intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or other action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this message in error please be advised of your obligation to immediately notify sender of the error in transmission, and to destroy all associated documentation.

After I told the to go f**k themselves they got angry and responded:

我操你大爷，你个杂碎，OK？你他妈的就是一个贱人，去死吧，狗日的东西，你鼻子里面插根葱就想冲大象啊？你个傻B OK？
Google translation:

I speak of your uncle, you are a chop suey, OK? Hell you are a slut, Death, dogs on the East and West, inserted inside the root of your nose red onion want the elephant ah? You are a silly B OK?