Scam, or genuine?

[eliot-ness]

Any Internet domain name experts on here who can throw some light on the validity of this. Looks like a scam to me, but it's of a type I've never seen before.

I recieved this email yesterday concerning one of our domain names. Looks innocent enough at first glance so I replied to the efect that the company mentioned had no connection with us. Then I get the second email, and that one is slightly different, but still no cause for alarm. Now it would seem that in order to protect our domain name, trademark and intellectual property rights I must register with China Internet Service Provider.
I've replied to that requesting the appropriate forms. Now I'm waiting to see what this is going to cost. Sounds just a bit dodgy to me.




: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 6:49 PM
Subject: China_The Confirmation Of Intellectual Property


Dear Sir/Madam:

This is the China Internet Service Provider who mainly duty for domain name and the Internet Trademark registration work.

Here,we have some important thing confirm with your company .On August 19th 2009,We received an formal application ,one company named "Yuancheng(China)Company"
want to register "********"as their .CN/.ASIA domain names and Internet Trademark on Internet .

After our initial examination,we find the domain name and the Internet Trademark applied for registration are the same with your company's name and trademark. One point
need you to confirm that whether the alleged Yuancheng(China) Company is your business partner or distributor in China?

If like that ,we will finish the group's application.If the group is not you partner and your company need to protect your company's Intellectual Property in China, please let the
someone who is responsible for this matter to contact us as soon as possible to deal with the matter with best way.Thank you!

Looking forward to hearing your reply!

Best regards!

This is their reply. Note the change. Now they can do nothing about it unless I register the domain name with them.


Dear ********

Thanks for your reply

Because China domain names takes open registration, the domain name stays available, who registers it first, who owns it. So Yuancheng(China) Company or
every other third party all has right to register it.

As a domain name registrar, we have right to dispute their application. So required by China government to inform your company to protect your interest.
As the company whose trademarks relate to the applied domain names, you will get the priority to register these domain names and internet trademark.

If you think their registration will confuse your clients and harm your profits, we can send an dispute application form to you and help you register these within
dispute period. This is the only way to prevent domain name grab.

If you need, we will send your company an dispute application form to fill in and help your company remain the priority to register these names.

Best regards!

Linda

[slofox]

If it looks like bullshit, smells like bullshit and tastes like bullshit...it's probably bullshit...

Be interested to see what evolves from this - keep us posted huh?

[ManDownUnder]

I'd say it's quiet economic times driving people to get creative on generating revenue... sooo... propsering little people threaten to take your domain name and force you to either 1) register first or 2) buy it off them.

Sounds familiar from about 10 years ago when the domain name race really kicked in

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Just delete it... I get it similar things in the post (you know snail mail) from competing Domain name registries saying the same thing... couple from the states, and one from china, and then one from NZ

[BiK3RChiK]

Read with the delete key....

[CookMySock]

required by China government to inform your company to protect your interest

Haha, really? I do not think so. Delete it.

Theres only one reason random people from the internet email you, and that is for money. They are like the police - if they can just ticket you they will, if they can't, they will "talk" to you about it until they have enough evidence to proceed.

Steve

[idb]

Hang on people...it's signed by someone called Linda.
I bet she's lovely.
Surely you can trust a pretty lady.

[Mully]

Sounds like a scam to me.

Ask "Linda" to send a photo.

If she's hot, proceed. But don't send them any cash.

[eliot-ness]

Sounds like a scam to me.

Ask "Linda" to send a photo.

If she's hot, proceed. But don't send them any cash.

Here's the pic you requested. She looks hot, but it could be just the way she's dressed. Don't think I'll send any cash but now I'm worried she might call round to collect it personally.

[mashman]

The domain name is registered to you because you would have had to have purchased it. They can't take it off you and domain names are unique... sounds like a bullshit mailer.

Send them an invoice of $1000 for consultation fees and explain that further correspondence will incur further consultation fees... Perhaps send them a 7 legged spider... you could have some fun with this...

[TerminalAddict]

scam .. I get them all the time

[retro asian]

Those are scams, I get them about once a month...

[Naki Rat]

Here's the pic you requested. She looks hot, but it could be just the way she's dressed. Don't think I'll send any cash but now I'm worried she might call round to collect it personally.

Camel toes are blase', I've seen the odd 'moose knuckle' but that has one got me stumped for a descriptor

[slofox]

Camel toes are blase', I've seen the odd 'moose knuckle' but that has one got me stumped for a descriptor

Hippo's arse springs to mind...

[Hitcher]

Don't waste your money buying domain names unless you intend to use them immediately.

At work we registered some time ago (through Domainz "the name you can trust") a .mobi domain. When we went to uplift said, we found that Domainz had sold it to a Melbourne agency that is now using it.

Can we get it back? It appears not. Is Domainz contrite and offering assistance? Ha ha! They think that this is an issue for us to resolve with the Melbourne agency they sold our domain name to.

I am waiting for them to explain the difference between what they've done and car conversion. At least if it was a car that had been onsold without your permission, you would get it back, press charges for theft, and expect some sort of reparations from the thieving scum who offed with it. It appears that the same legal protections do not exist in Internet domain space, unless we are being poorly advised by AJ Park.

As for Domainz "the name you can trust": Shame on you.