Scammers take advantage of new contact email system.
There’s a new wrinkle in the domain name appraisal scam that is sure to dupe some unsuspecting people.
The domain appraisal scam tries to trick domain name owners into paying for an appraisal for their domain name in order to complete a sale. It starts with a friendly email inquiring if a domain is available for sale, usually accompanied by a rather generous offer. When the domain owner agrees to sell, the scammer mandates that the seller purchase a domain appraisal from a service that the scammer runs. The “buyer” goes silent after the person pays for the appraisal.
GoDaddy, the largest domain name registrar, has changed how it allows people to contact domain name owners. Instead of providing a forwarding email address, GoDaddy now requires people to fill out a form. The form lets someone pass along their email address and a canned message about why they want to contact the owner.
A scammer is trying to take advantage of these emails.
Here’s what an email sent through the form looks like:
The example above is one I created by sending an inquiry to myself. The message is crystal clear that the message could be from a scammer.
One scammer is trying to take advantage of these new emails. The person is either a) filling out the form on GoDaddy’s website, which sends a message to the domain owner, or b) sending emails that look like GoDaddy’s template using a spoofed email address. I believe it’s the second, but I’m still researching it and will update this story.
Once the domain owner responds, the scammer then suggests that GoDaddy has verified the communication and it’s a “certified offer” from GoDaddy. This adds credibility to the offer. Here’s the full email: (Note: The “buyer” is pretending to be with the domain name registrar Galcomm. The scammers usually pretend to be part of an ICANN-accredited registrar.)
Hello!
Just passed the GoDaddy’s verification so we can communicate direct. It’s a Godaddy’s certified offer and you will be protected during the transaction.
My name is Elisa Pressler. I work as a broker of International clients in a hosting company – Galcomm Co. from Israel. I will help you to finish the sale.
I am reaching out to you on behalf of a buyer from Tel Aviv. Your buyer is a company from Israel. Your domain will be used to generate traffic to their new mutli-million dollar web project so they offer a good price. Commission of our company is 6%. It’s paid when you get the money.
They will pay you via the Escrow.com or Swiss Escrow service. You can be paid via wire, Paypal, check or any other method you prefer.
The buyer offers $60,000 usd.
Do you have a certificate? It’s required by their bank.
The final sale price will depend on the certificate ($60,000 minimum – if it comes higher they will pay more).
If you don’t have the certificate it’s not a problem. You can order it online.
Please note he cannot accept it from any agency. He needs a manual service. It also must be a third party independent agency (not your broker our auction site) and must be accepted by his bank.
The certification includes the following:
1. Independent valuation of the market price. It will show your domain name is not overpriced. On the other hand if the valuation comes higher, he will increase the price accordingly. In the domain name industry, there are many appraisal tools that people use to estimate the value of a domain name. My client does not want to risk and doesn’t accept services that use scripts. If you are unsure about some service feel free to ask me.
2. TM and law compliance verification. It proves your domain has no trademark problems. He would like this verification to be included in the appraisal report. It’s not a problem because some companies include the TM verification for free.
3. Copy in Hebrew.
The process is very easy:
1. Go to the certificate agency site and order a certificate. Just submit your domains and let them know you have a buyer with $XX,XXX offer. It will help you to get a better valuation.
If your domain is worth at least $10000, they will send you the payment instructions. If it’s not possible, they won’t send you the instructions. This way you will not lose anything. It’s very convenient and gives you the full protection. Other services charge you upfront even if your domain is not worth spending the appraisal fee, so I don’t recommend them.
2. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process. As soon as the buyer receives your certificate they will buy your domain.
If you are new to the certification process, I can help you with the step by step instructions.
To read the review you must have Telegram Messenger installed on your smartphone. To communicate with me online please use Telegram messenger. Here is the invitation link to our Domain Sale Group: https://t.me/godaddysales
Add me (@ElisaAttorney) to your contacts and we will be able to chat in Telegram. If you don’t have Telegram you may install it on your smartphone from Google Play or AppStore.
One of my sellers already sold to this buyer from Tel Aviv. You may read his review at https://t.me/godaddysales/1754 Feel free to contact him.
Please respond ASAP. No risk for you to proceed since this is a certified by GoDaddy domain offer with full proof of funds. If you send the certificate the buyer will have to pay you the same day.
Elisa Pressler
Vice President
Investor Relations
Galcomm Co.
Aba Hillel Silver St 99
Haifa 3269514
Israel
In at least one case, the scammer sent another email explaining GoDaddy’s (fake) role in the transaction:
Thank you for confirming you have received our email. We’re required by ICANN regulations to forward these types of requests to you. However this is our obligation to verify the legitimacy of such requests.
To protect you we have verified this contact and may confirm the legitimacy of the request to purchase your domain. The buyer has provided the proof of funds ($60000) so now you can communicate with the buyer safely.
To respond safely to the domain buyer, simply reply to this email and he will receive your response on his email account. Then you will be able to communicate direct without GoDaddy.
The second email appears to spoof GoDaddy’s email address [email protected]. I have reason to believe the initial emails are also spoofed and not actually sent through GoDaddy’s system.
Be alert.
That’s exactly the same thing happened to me in July from ‘Domain Broker’ ([email protected] in Korea) for FlappyFit.com. I just told them to get lost & never heard from them again!
i got this same email….this notice is a bit late but better late than never.
I’m dealing with the exact same thing right now for LocalToGo.com! Same party (Elisa,) same offer ($60,000.,) same everything!
Would someone please try this line:
“Before I obtain the appraisal I will first need you to pay the $xxx (insert some fraction of the appraisal fee) negotiation fee.”
Let us know what happens.
I’ll do that right now!
I replied with this: “Hello there,
Before I obtain the appraisal I will first need you to pay a deposit of $1000 to show good faith and for the time it will take me to do everything you have requested.
This is payable by PayPal, e-transfer or wire.
Thank you,
T.” and I got back this reply:
“Only you as the owner has the refund guarantee if you or the buyer cances the sale.
We will not send you anything upfront accroding our corporate rules. All payments via escrow after you send the report.
If not it’s ok. We have another seller and he agrees to certify.”
Beware, folks.
It’s been happening for a long time.
Godaddy as Wix used time confinement to register Coronavirus domains for business scams websites and Wix.com finally recognize.
Godaddy since the arrival of the Coronavirus, advertising to attract new clients from YouTube was and continues to be impressive, the increase in new clients in Godaddy, many of them time of confinement due to cononavirus in the world.
Godaddy is equal to Wix in making all websites easy, once here the scammers use all their tricks to reach us, I receive email domains in Dan.com and registered in Godaddy were scam.
I knew it was fake the minute I saw the offer was made from the year 2016
I got the exact email from the exact scammer. Messaged him on Telegram as requested by the scammer. I almost got fooled, but when I found out that this was a scam, I reported to Telegram. Even after a day, their accounts were not banned, but in a surprise turn, the scammer reported me and I was banned from message for 4 days. Seems like scammers get more protection than victims.
Got same $60k offer for coviguard.com. I was almost fooled as it was from a Norway registrar, and it’s a plausible offer considering the scope of this name. Thanks for sharing (and I’m actually asking much less than 60k, especially if from an investor)
I just got another variation of this scam, but very similar.
Here is the message, in case it helps anyone else:
My name is Eliza Mizuno. You were contated by my colleague. I work with English speaking clients of our company.
I am reaching out to you on behalf of a buyer from Tokyo (Mr. Tanaki). Commission of our company is 6%. It’s paid when you get the money.
The buyer offers $85,000 usd. This is the verified SEDO (domain sale portal and official partner of Godaddy) offer which means the buyer is obligated to buy. He aready deposited and verified his funds.
The buyer is starting a new web project that will generate him 1M-2M yearly. Your domain will be used to drive traffic to it. It’s SEO friendly and meet the buyer’s needs.
The buyer also has a Godaddy account so you will transfer easily from one Godaddy account to another.
He will pay you via an Escrow service. They accept payments in Japanese Yen and crypto from his country and can send you money you via wire, Paypal, check or any other method you prefer.
The buyer is a VIP GoDaddy/Sedo client and this is the certified offer and the buyer is obligated to purchase.
The buyer’s bank requires trademark infringement verification for Japan + professional appraisal. This is for domain not web site. Please don’t worry. Some agencies includes both in one document. No need to order two documents. They must also make a copy in Japanese.
I asked the buyer if Godaddy or Sedo certificates are ok for his bank. Waiting for his answer.
To communicate with me online please use Telegram messenger. Our domain group in Telegram: @namesalegroup. Make search for NameSaleGroup in Telegram. Please send me your Telegram user name after @ and we will be able to chat.
If you don’t have Telegram you may install it on your smartphone from Google Play or AppStore. If your Telegram account is new and you cannot send messages to other members please send me your Telegram user name and I will contact you.
Please respond ASAP. We have another seller and he agrees to certify the domain. If you don’t respond we will buy his domain.
Eliza Mizuno
Vice President
Investor Relations
Canoha . jp
Hosting Services
105-6104 Tokyo, Minato City, Hamamatsucho, 2 Chome−4−1, World Trade Center Bldg., 4F
+81 3-3435-3712
Todd, thanks for posting – I got the same email today too 🙂 I appreciate you posting
Damn. I really thought they wanted my clever domain name, I had bought to do something with “one day”.
Nearly word for word.
“My name is E Takahashi. You were contacted by my colleague Mr. Tanaka. I work with English speaking clients of our company.
I represent a buyer from Nagasaki. He wants to use it to drive more traffic to his new web project. Commission of our company is only six percents. It’s paid when you get the money.
He is a GoDaddy verified buyer. The transfer will be a simple process because you both have Godaddy accounts. You will get 50% before transfer and 50% after. You can be paid via wire, Paypal, check or any other method you prefer including crypto.
The buyer offers $45,000 usd.
Do you have a certificate? It’s required by their bank.
The final sale price will depend on the certificate ($45,000 minimum – if it comes higher they will pay more).
If you don’t have the certificate it’s not a problem. You can order it online.
Please note he cannot accept it from any agency. He needs a manual service. It also must be a third party independent agency (not your broker our auction site) and must be accepted by his bank.
The certification includes the following:
1. Independent valuation of the market price. It will show your domain name is not overpriced. On the other hand if the valuation comes higher, he will increase the price accordingly. In the domain name industry, there are many appraisal tools that people use to estimate the value of a domain name. My client does not want to risk and doesn’t accept services that use scripts. If you are unsure about some service feel free to ask me.
2. TM and law compliance verification. It proves your domain has no trademark problems. He would like this verification to be included in the appraisal report. It’s not a problem because some companies include the TM verification for free.
3. Copy in Japanese.
The process is very easy:
1. Go to the certificate agency site and order a certificate. Just submit your domains and let them know you have a buyer with $XX,XXX offer. It will help you to get a better valuation.
If your domain is worth at least $10000, they will send you the payment instructions. If it’s not possible, they won’t send you the instructions. This way you will not lose anything. It’s very convenient and gives you the full protection. Other services charge you upfront even if your domain is not worth spending the appraisal fee, so I don’t recommend them.
2. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process. As soon as the buyer receives your certificate they will buy your domain.
If you are new to the certification process, I can help you with the step by step instructions.
To read the review you must have Telegram Messenger installed on your smartphone. To communicate with me online please use Telegram messenger. Here is the invitation link to our Domain Sale Group: https://t.me/dnsbroker
Add me ( @ ElizaManager ) to your contacts and we will be able to chat in Telegram. If you don’t have Telegram you may install it on your smartphone from Google Play or AppStore.
One of my sellers already sold to this buyer from Tokyo. You may read his review at https://t.me/dnsbroker/1754 Feel free to contact him.
Please respond ASAP. No risk for you to proceed since this is a certified by GoDaddy domain offer with full proof of funds. If you send the certificate the buyer will have to pay you the same day.
E Takahashi
Vice President
Investor Relations
Conoha . jp
Hosting Services
27-1 Sakuragaokacho +81-3-3461-2280″
I haven’t replied yet and wonder what I can do to string them along – I love the TED talk where the speaker did just that, and any other of those stories where the scammers get THEIR time wasted finally. But, I have better things to do with my time and sadly, it won’t make any difference at all. It’s hard not not to be discouraged by the state of things!! So glad you have all shared this information, though.
I also received the email from E Takanashi. I knew immediately it was a scam due to the high offer but I was curious to understand just *how* they were attempting to scam me! Thank you for explaining that they are simply attempting to convince me to purchase an ‘appraisal.’ I really appreciate your article!
“My name is E Takanashi. You were contacted by my colleague Mr. Tanaka. I work with English speaking clients of our company.
I represent a buyer from Nagasaki. He wants to use it to drive more traffic to his new web project. Commission of our company is only six percents. It’s paid when you get the money.
He is a GoDaddy verified buyer. The transfer will be a simple process because you both have Godaddy accounts. You will get 50% before transfer and 50% after. You can be paid via wire, Paypal, check or any other method you prefer including crypto.
The buyer offers $45,000 usd.
Do you have a domain report for Japan? It’s required by their bank.
The final sale price will depend on the report ($45,000 minimum – if it comes higher they will pay more).
If you don’t have the report it’s not a problem. You can order it online.
Please note he cannot accept it from any agency. He needs a manual service. It also must be a third party independent agency (not your broker our auction site) and must be accepted by his bank.
The certification includes the following:
1. Independent valuation of the market price. It will show your domain name is not overpriced. On the other hand if the valuation comes higher, he will increase the price accordingly. In the domain name industry, there are many appraisal tools that people use to estimate the value of a domain name. My client does not want to risk and doesn’t accept services that use scripts. If you are unsure about some service feel free to ask me.
2. TM and law compliance verification. It proves your domain has no trademark problems. He would like this verification to be included in the appraisal report. It’s not a problem because some companies include the TM verification for free.
3. Copy in Japanese.
The process is very easy:
1. Go to the report agency site and order a report. Just submit your domains and let them know you have a buyer with $XX,XXX offer. It will help you to get a better valuation.
If your domain is worth at least $10000, they will send you the payment instructions. If it’s not possible, they won’t send you the instructions. This way you will not lose anything. It’s very convenient and gives you the full protection. Other services charge you upfront even if your domain is not worth spending the appraisal fee, so I don’t recommend them.
2. Send the report to me and we will start the sale process. As soon as the buyer receives your report they will buy your domain.
If you are new to the certification process, I can help you with the step by step instructions.
To read the review you must have Telegram Messenger installed on your smartphone. To communicate with me online please use Telegram messenger. Here is the invitation link to our Domain Sale Group: https://t.me/dnsbroker
Add me ( @ ElizaManager ) to your contacts and we will be able to chat in Telegram. If you don’t have Telegram you may install it on your smartphone from Google Play or AppStore.
One of my sellers already sold to this buyer from Tokyo. You may read his review at https://t.me/dnsbroker/1754 Feel free to contact him.
Please respond ASAP. No risk for you to proceed since this is a certified by GoDaddy domain offer with full proof of funds. If you send the report the buyer will have to pay you the same day.
E Takanashi
Vice President
Investor Relations
Conoha . jp
Hosting Services
27-1 Sakuragaokacho +81-3-3461-2287″
Oh no!! My 75k USD went down the drain…LOL
I got this email and the suspicious me decided to investigate.
I replied to them, just out of curiosity – and yes, they try and make you pay for the appraisal…LOL
Watch out people!
I hate scammers with the fury of a thousand blue-hot suns. These people need to die of multiple plagues.