Spam selling expiring domain names

Filed in Discussion on Oct.19, 2010 By Keith Lunt

One of my customers contacted me this morning, wondering whether the email (below) that she had received needed urgent attention.

She owns the .co.uk version of a domain name and the email was to inform her that the .com version is coming up for sale very shortly. She was worried as to whether this meant that someone was trying to poach her trade.

However, a quick search around a few other websites on snippets of the email along with a little investigation soon turned up the truth. The .com version of her URL was owned by someone else, who let it expire about 2 months ago. In two days’ time, it will become free to register again.

InTrust Domains are simply matching the list of expiring domain names with a list of live domains and hoping that owners will want to buy the .com when they tell them that it could be bought by someone else.

From what I read, there is no guarantee of actually getting it, they are just offering to compete when it does become available.

However, if someone else having the .com version of the domain name has not affected your business before, is it really likely to now? Unless you really want the .com version, just delete the email. And if you do want the .com find someone else who offers this service without resorting to spam to find customers. Teach the spammers a lesson!

Here’s the email she received.

Regarding the upcoming sale of [removed].com:

There are two days left before the listing of [removed].com. Since you own a similar name, we are holding off to give you a chance to indicate interest. You can do that here – http://NIVEY.COM/[removed]

This could easily be your one and only chance to secure this domain name, at least at a reasonable cost. We have an A- rating with the Better Business Bureau, because our process is smooth, trouble-free and with great customer service.

Simply go to [removed].com, fill out the quick form, and you will have priority to acquire this domain at a fair price.

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,
Arthur Simmons
InTrust Domains
PO Box 88049
Colorado Springs, CO 80908