I recently purchased a new domain name, and lo, the spam has started to roll in. The one I got this morning could be really dangerous for budding young webmasters just starting out.
Here is the text of the message, with my domain name blocked out.
Attention: Important Notice , DOMAIN SERVICE NOTICE
Domain Name: ***.comATT: On behalf
REGISTRANT CONTACT: +64.48319528
***.comResponse Requested By
23 – May – 2015PART I: REVIEW NOTICE
Attn: On behalf
As a courtesy to domain name holders, 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.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 registration includes domain name search engine submission. 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: ***.com will expire at 11:59PM EST, 23 – May – 2015 Act now!
Select Term and Package Here
Payment by Credit/Debit Card
Select the term using the link above by 23 – May – 2015***.com
——————————————————————————————-
The information in this letter contains confidential and/or legally privileged information from the notification processing department of the ListingDomainReg 1521 Alton Road Suite #464, Miami Beach, FL 33139 USA, This information is intended only for the use of the individual(s) named above. If you do not wish to receive further updates from ListingDomainReg Unsubscribe here. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents for this letter is strictly prohibited.
Oh, how low these scammers stoop. Let’s see here.
First, the message tries to have an air of “officialness” to it, and attempts to have a “scary feel” about it. Bad things are not going to happen to you if you don’t register your domain name with this companies services. All they are trying to do is seperate you from your money, giving you not much in return. What they’ll do is list your website in a few shady directories, which could end up hurting your site rather than helping it. You should be building your links naturally, not paying someone to put them in bad neigborhoods.
The hard to read sentences are spelled correctly, but some of the “hard facts” are difficult to believe. For example, the phone number given belongs to a german porn site. The domain for the company is hosted in Estonia, while the owner lives in Ecuador, and the mailing address is in the US.
Let’s be careful out there, people. There are lots of unscrupulous types in the world who want to get their hands on your cash.