More Domain Spam: Final Notice of Domain Notification
Monday, March 23rd, 2009
“Search registration” spam hits inboxes.
Earlier today I wrote about the resurgence of the domain name appraisal scam. Many readers have also forwarded another email making the rounds right now, of which I’ve also received in my inbox.
The subject line reads:
Domain Notification: FIRSTNAME LAST NAME This is your Final Notice of Domain Notification – YOURDOMAIN.COM
The notification looks like an expiring domain notice, but it’s actually not the old scam that tries to get you to renew your domain name through another service (e.g. “Domain Registry of America”). Instead, this notification seems to indicate you need to renew your “search engine registration”, which I suppose means submitting your web site to search engines. Of course all of the language seems to indicate not responding could mean your domain expires, which isn’t the case. The notice includes disclaimers saying this is an offer and not an invoice, but history tells us that small business accounting departments will end up faxing in their authorization.
The “address” on the notice is for Long Island City, NY. Long Island City is a neighborhood in Queens, not a city.
Here’s the full text of the notice:
I: REVIEW SOLICITATION
Attn: FIRSTNAME LASTNAME
As a courtesy reminder, we are sending you this notification for your business Domain name search engine registration. This letter is to inform you that it’s time to send in your registration and save.Failure to complete your Domain name search engine registration by the expiration date may result in cancellation of this offer making it difficult for your customers to locate you on the web.
Privatization allows the consumer a choice when registering. Search engine subscription includes domain name search engine submission. You are under no obligation to pay the amounts stated below unless you accept this offer. Do not discard, this notice is not an invoice it is a courtesy reminder to register your domain name search engine listing so your customers can locate you on the web.
This Notice for: WWW.YOURDOMAIN.COM will expire on March 24,2009 Act today!
Lest you think this sort of misleading solicitation only affects domain owners, I get yellow pages solicitations like this all of the time.
Further Reading:
Tags: domain spam
Also, their unsubscribe email address at the bottom of that notice will bounce; I tested it on a spare gmail account I had lying around.
Yeah, not web site to send you to. Fax only, and it’s probably a virtual fax. Keeps them under the covers.
It also appears the focus currently is on .org domains. I got 2 and both were .org domains and I noticed your’s was for a .org also.
Jamie – I noticed that too when I got a couple more this afternoon. Maybe they’re testing things out on .org first.
How are you Andrew
I received nearly a thousand plus all targeting the .org
SPAM filter at full force
@ Elequa – I guess that’s what happens when you own so many domains
Only moron would fall for this
Virtual fax or not, how about everyone that’s got one of these wrote a big “No thanks, I think you’re a big bunch of shysters” over the form and faxed it in…
I still wonder why these guys can’t be shut down in some more permanent form?
The address is for http://www.myusabox.com which is a forwarding service. They could be anywhere including overseas. If budget wasn’t a concern, I’d love to send them a tracking GPS device and obtain their actual location.
Technical correction: Long Island City is a valid postal address. Legal addresses and postal addresses are not always the same. Otherwise, good article, and yes, I got one, too.
Thanks Bill. Whenever I tried to look it up the city wouldn’t pull up on a map.
[...] The notification looks like an expiring domain notice, but it’s actually not the old scam that tries to get you to renew your domain name through another service (e.g. “Domain Registry of Americaâ€). Instead, this notification seems to indicate you need to renew your “search engine registrationâ€, which I suppose means submitting your web site to search engines. Of course all of the language seems to indicate not responding could mean your domain expires, which isn’t the case… More… [...]
[...] Wer es mit nicht glaubt, glaubt vielleicht anderen. Vgl. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/03/23/more-domain-spam-final-notice-of-domain-notification/ [...]
Got a few also (all .orgs).
So I headed over to their “office” Just like the Google maps image, it’s a warehouse. The people there don’t look like they know what a domain is. The address is clearly real, but in no way truly associated with the scam artists that are using it in their email.
Takes me back to the days of Domain Registration of America letters. I guess it’s cheaper these days to use spam instead of postal mail.
Question: can they be held liable under any mail fraud / wire statutes, since they are clearly using someone else’s address in bad faith to commit their scam?
This joke continues in 2011. I’ve received one today. I’m in France. Two years to jump the ocean.
Also in Spain. This seems to be spreading throughout Europe.