Genuine request or not?

[TPS Test]

[FONT=&quot]I received the following email asking if we operate in China, it comes from a Chinese Web Hosting company and they say they have a client who wants to use our domain name for a business in China.

I checked out the website for the hosting company (yiguan group) and it appears to be genuine.

Could this be some sort of scam or am I being paranoid? We are a service company opaerating in the North West of England so there is really no conflict with any business based in China, but am I missing out on possible repercussions if I give them the go- ahead to use the domain name?


'Dear CEO,

(If you are not in charge of this, please forward this to your CEO, because this is urgent. Thanks)

We are a Network Service Company which is the domain name registration center in Shanghai, China. On Feb 15, 2012, we received an application from Hantong company requested "********" as their internet keyword and China (CN) domain names. But after checking it, we find this name conflict with your company name or trademark. In order to deal with this matter better, it's necessary to send email to you and confirm whether this company is your distributor or business partner in China?

Kind regards


Thanks
[/FONT]

 

[360interactive]

It's a scam, ignore.

 

[RemoteTechs]

Yeah its a Scam, I could dig out the copy they sent to us, but I think you get the point !!

 

[FreelanceSoftwareDeveloper]

Out of interest, what is the scam?

It appears to be a simple Yes/No question regarding registering the .cn domain using the same company name, although it wouldn't be like China to ask first when it comes to potential trademark violations!

Are they hoping you object then as they are the host offer to sell it to you? Would that be a scam (as in fraudulent) or just a sales technique.

I've not seen this one before.

 

[Rudi]

It is a simple yes/no, but they're basically trying to get business out of you.

They will attempt to get you to purchase the domain names in question to "protect" them, which is subsequently generating the business for them.

It's not exactly a scam like you say @FSD, rather just some less-than-truthful business tactic, chances are nobody was trying to register the domain names in the first place.

 

[robbydesigns]

I got sent an email saying I've inherited $8.3 million..but I am English.. is that a scam? ;-)

 

[Rudi]

Of course not, I'm sure if you was to work closely with them they would give you the cash value in GBP too

 

[Trademarkroom]

Dear TPS Test
I work for a company specialising in trade marks and my clients receive letters like this all the time. My advice is always the same- never give them any money. If you are interested in owning a .cn domain or trade mark use a bone fide service or organisation.

 

[magarethayes]

Simply ignore it. There are various scam mails that are delivered to our email ids.

 

[Spapro]

We went through a period of time where we getting this 3-5 times a week. Not getting these chinese domain emails anymore.

Still getting the Barclays/Santander banking please login or click this handy application emails, 2-3 a week.

Had my first email yesterday from 'Amazone.co.uk' telling me I was a due a credit after they had overcharged me and they just needed me to follow a link and login so they could release my credit. The credit would take 3 working days from there to arrive against my account.

 

[TotalWebSolutions]

I would say it is more opportunism than a scam as they are simply inviting you to purchase a domain name from them.

As apposed to a scam from something like Domain Registry of America whereby they are telling you that your domain name is due for renewal (it usually isn't in our experience) in the hope the 'victim' will pay them for the renewal. The trouble is they are highly unlikely to be in any position to renew the domain for you as they will not be the Registrar for the domain. When it comes to the actual domain renewal the actual Registrar will contact you for payment. As a result you have paid 2 companies for something only one of them can action.

 

[accounting-help]

We went through a period of time where we getting this 3-5 times a week. Not getting these chinese domain emails anymore.

Still getting the Barclays/Santander banking please login or click this handy application emails, 2-3 a week.

Had my first email yesterday from 'Amazone.co.uk' telling me I was a due a credit after they had overcharged me and they just needed me to follow a link and login so they could release my credit. The credit would take 3 working days from there to arrive against my account.

We too seem to be getting the Barclays/Santander emails even through we constantly put this in the junk mail forward. Also recently have been receiving fake PayPal emails.

 

[TotallySport]

There was a fella on the TV the other day, who had been sent a email saying he had relatives in the US, and have left a will and to contact them for details, so he did, they sold him a merry dance, and took £400K off him, yes £400K, he was more than gutted when they stopped emailed and answering the phone.

 

[accounting-help]

There was a fella on the TV the other day, who had been sent a email saying he had relatives in the US, and have left a will and to contact them for details, so he did, they sold him a merry dance, and took £400K off him, yes £400K, he was more than gutted when they stopped emailed and answering the phone.

400K? Seriously

 

[TotallySport]

400K? Seriously

carn't remember what program it was, maybe fake britian but it was on the bbc.

 

[giffgore]

I would say it is more opportunism than a scam as they are simply inviting you to purchase a domain name from them.

As apposed to a scam from something like Domain Registry of America whereby they are telling you that your domain name is due for renewal (it usually isn't in our experience) in the hope the 'victim' will pay them for the renewal. The trouble is they are highly unlikely to be in any position to renew the domain for you as they will not be the Registrar for the domain. When it comes to the actual domain renewal the actual Registrar will contact you for payment. As a result you have paid 2 companies for something only one of them can action.

Or 123-reg, who will set all your domains to auto-renew expecting you to know that and turn it off, but wording the page to disable this useful feature as if it'll cancel the domain right away, then when they take your money without your permission they'll point to their T&C's and refuse to refund you...