Asian Domain Registration Scam

Thought I’d let others know about a scam going on that I just learned about. I received an email from an Asian Domain Registration company, Shanghai Fnew Public Web Center,Ltd. Here’s their whois info (note the name…wow!):

Domain Name:CHINA-DRC.ORG
Created On:03-Aug-2010 03:43:32 UTC
Last Updated On:02-Oct-2010 03:50:14 UTC
Expiration Date:03-Aug-2011 03:43:32 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Xiamen ChinaSource Internet Service Co, Ltd. (R1634-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:cns-1869150
Registrant Name:shanghaifengwangwangluokejiyouxiangongsi
Registrant Organization:shanghaifengwangwangluokejiyouxiangongsi
Registrant Street1:shanghaifengxianqudonghuanchenglulvsefangzhoudasha
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:shanghai
Registrant State/Province:Shanghai
Registrant Postal Code:201400
Registrant Country:CN
Registrant Phone:+86.2137529318
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:+86.2137529317
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:

They also use this domain in the email: CDNDRC.ORG … whois information:

Domain Name:CDNDRC.ORG
Created On:24-Sep-2010 07:47:13 UTC
Last Updated On:24-Sep-2010 07:47:14 UTC
Expiration Date:24-Sep-2011 07:47:13 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Todaynic.com, Inc. (R1316-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Status:TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:TOD-42538036
Registrant Name:Li HuaMin
Registrant Organization:ShangHaiFengWangWangLuoKeJi CO.LTD.
Registrant Street1:Room515, No.258,North Yunhe, Fengxian District,Shanghai
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:FengXianQu
Registrant State/Province:SH
Registrant Postal Code:201400
Registrant Country:CN
Registrant Phone:+86.2137529318
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:+86.2137529316
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:

They sent this email to me initially:

===========================
Dear President,
We are the department of Asian Domain registration service in china. we have something need to confirm with you. we formally received an application on November 3, 2010. one company which called “Solidcad Marketing Ltd.” are applying to register “linkworth” as Brand name and the following Domain Names:
linkworth.asia
linkworth.com.cn
linkworth.com.hk
linkworth.com.tw
linkworth.hk
linkworth.in
linkworth.tw

After our initial examination, we found that the Domain Names applied for registration are as same as your company’s name and trademark. these days we are dealing with it, hope to get the affirmation from your company. if your company has not authorized the aforesaid company to register these, please contact us as soon as possible.
In addition, we hereby affirm that our time limit is 7 workdays. if your company files no reply within the time limit, we will unconditionally approve the application submitted by “Solidcad Marketing Ltd.”.
Best Regards,
Alec Wong
Senior Consultant
===========================

Yes, LinkWorth is a trademark, which made me think they actually did the research to help my company, but after searching for this “Solidcad Marketing, Ltd” company and not finding anything, I thought I’d cautiously reply and tell them we haven’t given authority to this company to use our name. Then our friend Alec Wong replies with this:

===========================

Thanks for your confirmation. If your company does not have any relationship with “Solidcad Marketing Ltd.” according to our work experience, either they just invest these domain names. Just like a company named Beijing national network information LLC registered google.cn & google.com.cn in 2005, and then they made lots of return from these two domain names. (Google Company failed to make a arbitration and paid 1 million USD dollars to redeem the two domain names.) Or they are just your trade, and confuse your clients to make profit. Because it seems that these domain names have no relationship with them, that’s why we send e-mail to inform you. As a domain name registration service organization, we have no right to reject any individual or entity register available domain names through us, because domain name registration is open worldwide, the policy is “ first register, first own”. I think you also know this. But it’s our duty and responsibility to avoid the registration in bad faith, so we inform you this issue in advance before the registration starts.

Now, what you need to consider is that whether these domain names are important to your company? If important to you, we will apply the priority to register for your company; meanwhile, we will send you the dispute application form. Due to time is limited, if you have any other question, pls contact with us in time. Thanks for your cooperation?

Best Regards,

Alec Wong
Senior Consultant
===========================

This is where the bait and switch happens. They explain how losing your domain names will cause big losses for your company. Granted, if you’re a large company, you probably have already purchased the domains out there, but for most small to mid-sized companies have no reason to do so. Our pal Alec tries to put another time restraint on me making a decision. Mind you, his first message gave me 7 days to reply and I didn’t find the email in my junk folder until about 20 days later…another red flag. I reply to Alec with a simple, “Yes, dispute it”, just to see what was next. This is his last reply (included with an application attachment):

===========================

Thanks for your reply. According to your e-mail, we send you the cost list of all domain names and brand name. Enclose the application form; pls check it in the attachment.
The cost list is as following:
Cost list
Domain names Cost (USD/ Per Year)
linkworth.com.cn 30.00
linkworth.hk 50.00
linkworth.com.hk 50.00
linkworth.tw 50.00
linkworth.com.tw 50.00
linkworth.in 40.00
linkworth.asia 40.00
Brand name Cost (USD/ Per Year)
LinkWorth 100.00
Following is the procedure, you can do follow these.
1.Your company fills in the application form and return it back, make sure the information in the form absolutely correct.
2.We will prevent other applicants to register at the first time, after we receive the application form from your company.
3.Our company will offer an Invoice to your company, enclosed a sealed application form by our company. Each party has a copy, and your company pays for the registration fees to our company.
4.Your company sends us the proof to payment from your bank after your company executes the payment.
5.We will finish all the registration work within 2 workdays after we receive your payment, and link these domain names to your website www.linkworth.com which you use now.
6. Your company will receive the certificate awarded by the relevant department of China government within 10 workdays after the domain names and brand name are registered successfully.

Because time is limited, when you receive our e-mail, pls fill in the application form and return it to us soon, so we can arrange the following work. If you have any other question, pls contact me at any time. Thanks for your cooperation.

Best Regards,

Alec Wong
Senior Consultant
Telephone: 0086-21-37529318
Facsimile: 0086-21-37529316
Website: www.cdndrc.org
Room515-516, No.258 Green Ark Building
North Yunhe Road, Fengxian District
Shanghai, China

===========================

The moral of this post is this is a scam. They lie to you about someone trying to lift your name within their domains they sell, then flip it trying to make you buy the name, along with including a $100/yr “brand name” line item that is stupid. If you get any type of emails like these, make sure you don’t fall for it.

Here are a few links to prove my post:

Asia Domain Name Registration scam | Trusted.MD Network

BBB Warns Businesses of Asian Domain Registration Scam

Domain name scams | Firetrust

Tagged as: asian domain registry emails, asian domain registry scam, bait and switch, domain name scam, spam