Sunday, March 28, 2010

The latest variation of the domain scam

Wow, someone wants to register your "wireless keyword." Ahem. No, nobody wants to register your domains. This scammer — whether his name is Mickeon, McKeon or otherwise — is sending out emails hoping that you'll be scared enough to buy overpriced services… which won't actually protect anything. It's a racket, it's a scam. Don't respond, don't be fooled by messages like this. Just delete them, and your Internet domains will be just fine.

From: "dave.mckeon" dave.mckeon@sohu.com
Date: March 27, 2010 5:43:12 AM PDT
Subject: FW: Notification of IPR and ISP
Reply-To: "dave.mickeon@hknetos.com" dave.mickeon@hknetos.com

Dear CEO/Principal,

We are an internet service provider and maintenance organization in Asia, responsible for the global domain name registration and protection of IPR(intellectual property right). Right here we have a very important issue related to your company's intellectual property, your confirmation is highly appreciated.

On March 10 2010, we received an application from one company named Lwoquen investment Company Limited, they want to register some domain name and trademark keyword. Currently, this application is right in the progress, however, when we were about to finalize the process, we double-checked these domain names and wireless keyword, the keyword is very similar with your company's trademark. Therefore we need to confirm with you (as follows):

1. whether your company consigned Lwoquen investment Company Limited to register the wireless keyword and domain names on the behalf of your company. If it is true, please let us konw, as we will help them complete the registration.

2. if your company did not consign Lwoquen investment Company Limited to register the wireless keyword and domain names, please reply to confirm immediately.

If you have any question, please let me know and your cooperation is highly appreciated.

Best Regards,

Dave Mckeon

Auditing Department Director
HongKong Net Cimpany Ltd

Tel: 00852-3060 6608 | Fax: 00852 - 3072 3949 dave.mckeon@hknetos.com | Web: http://www.hknet.com

7 comments:

  1. Wow, thanks! I just got one of these, here's what it looks like...

    To whom it may concern,

    Sorry to trouble you, I got your email address from my colleague, We are a professional ISP organization in Asia, Recently we have received an application from one of our customer Debbie Werbeloff(debbie.werbeloff@tucowsinc.net) from Tucows Group, they want to register
    some domain and wireless keyword Currently, this application is right in the progress, however, when we were about to finalize the process, we double-
    checked these domain names and Network Trademark Keyword, the keyword is very similar with your company's trademark. Therefore we need to confirm with you (as
    follows):
    1. whether your company consigned Tucows Group, to register the Network Trademark Keyword and other domain on the behalf of your company. If it is true, please let
    us konw, as we will help them complete the registration.
    2. if your company did not consign Tucows Group to register the Network Trademark Keyword and other domain, please reply to confirm immediately.

    If you have any question, please let me know and your cooperation is highly appreciated.

    Best Regards,
    Martin M

    ReplyDelete
  2. Heres my email to add to the list

    Dear vikingsupplements team
    Our organization received a formal application from a company who is called Menston Ltd are applying to register "vikingsupplements" as trademark keyword and wireless keyword.
    The trademark keyword can be typed into IE address bar and go directly to assigned website, it do not need "www." nor ".com", ".net", etc, It will skip google search engine ,can be used all the world's browsers .It is most important.
    The wireless keyword is the latest products on the Internet, It can be through SMS or WAP, and 3G fast access to sites, Improve website ranking and traffic. It is more convenient and more important
    In order to prevent cyber piracy,Please explain:
    1: Whether this company is your IT supplier or distributor.
    2: Whether you are interested in registering these keywords first to preservation your company’s brand.
    We are now obligated to inform you this issue ,So we will handle the next step after this audit procedure. Pls understand.


    Best regards
    David
    Mww Group
    Internet: www.now.cn
    Internet: www.m-w-w.com

    Regards Phil

    ReplyDelete
  3. From The Desk of Huang Su Tel: +852-3051-8225
    Fax: +852-3015-4837
    Email: huangsu426@ yahoo.com.hk Email: huangsu42@ googlemail.com
    20th Jan 2011
    Michalis Salides
    SALIDES MARINE WORKSHOPS 4 Dedalou Street
    5281 Famagusta Cyprus
    Hello,
    I am Mr. Huang Su, Manager Asset Management Department for the Wing Lung-Bank in Hong Kong, China. 1 have asked a friend coming to Europe to post this letter on my behalf. I am getting in touch with you regarding the estate of a deceased client with similar last name and an investment placed under our banks management some years ago.
    I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail. I contact you independently and no one is informed of this communication. In 2000, the subject matter Mr. Thomas Salides came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our private banking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of $12.350 million (Twelve Million Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States dollars) which he wished to have us invest on his behalf.
    Based on my advice, we spun the money around various opportunities and made attractive margins for our first months of operation, the accrued profit and interest stood at this point at over $3.2 million United States Dollars. In mid-2002, he instructed that the principal sum ($12.350M) be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong. We got in touch with a specialist bank in Hong Kong the Dah Sing Bank (DSB) who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make cash available to Mr. Salides. However Dah Sing Bank got in touch with us last year that this money has not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out that Mr. Salides was involved in an accident in Mainland China, which means he died intestate. He has no next of kin and the reason I am writing you is because you are namesakes.
    What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, you will be made the beneficiary of these funds. My bank will contact you informing you that money has been willed to you. On verification, which will be the details I make available to my bank, my bank will instruct DSB to make payments to you. You do not have to have known him. I know this might be a bit heavy for you but please trust me on this. For all your troubles I propose that we split the money in half. In the banking circle this happens every time. The other option is that the money will revert back to the state.
    Nobody is getting hurt; this is a lifetime opportunity for us. I hold the KEY to these funds, and as a Chinese National we see so much cash and funds being re-assigned daily. I would want us to keep communication for now strictly by the above Email, Telephone and Fax numbers.
    Please, again, note I am a family man; I have a wife and children. I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to t the consequences, but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should act swiftly on this. Please get back to me immediately via the telephone, fax number or email address above.
    I await your response.

    Huang Su

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have received an identical letter from
    Huang Su.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear [domain] team
    Our organization received a formal application from a company who is called Benston Limited are applying to register "[domain]" as trademark keyword and wireless keyword.
    The trademark keyword can be typed into IE address bar and go directly to assigned website, it do not need "www." nor ".com", ".net", etc, It will skip google search engine ,can be used all the world's browsers .It is most important.
    The wireless keyword is the latest products on the Internet, It can be through SMS or WAP, and 3G fast access to sites, Improve website ranking and traffic. It is more convenient and more important
    In order to prevent cyber piracy,Please explain:
    1: Whether this company is your IT supplier or distributor.
    2: Whether you are interested in registering these keywords first to preservation your company’s brand.
    We are now obligated to inform you this issue ,So we will handle the next step after this audit procedure. Pls understand.


    Best regards
    Michael
    Mww Group
    Internet: www.now.cn
    Internet: www.m-w-w.com

    --------

    above was received by one of our clients today - another variant on the scam.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear () team
    Our organization received a formal application from a company who is called Benston Limited are applying to register "chisholmhifi" as trademark keyword and wireless keyword.
    The trademark keyword can be typed into IE address bar and go directly to assigned website, it do not need "www." nor ".com", ".net", etc, It will skip google search engine ,can be used all over the world's browsers .It is most important.
    The wireless keyword is the latest products on the Internet, It can be through SMS or WAP, and 3G fast access to sites, Improve website ranking and traffic. It is more convenient and more important
    In order to prevent cyber piracy,Please explain:
    1: Whether this company is your IT supplier or distributor.
    2: Whether you are interested in registering these keywords first to preservation your company’s brand.
    We are now obligated to inform you this issue ,So we will handle the next step after this audit procedure. Pls understand.


    Best regards
    Michael
    Mww Group
    Internet: www.now.cn
    Internet: www.m-w-w.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I got one on these letters today in London, Aug 2014, so scam still going strong. Very similar wording to previous examples. Sender claims to be Jim Lu of China construction bank.

    ReplyDelete