Does this sound like a scam???

[armstrongdomains]

Hi all, I just received this e-mail regarding one of my domains and want you to tell me if it sound like a scam as I have no experience:

Hello,

My name is Jeffrey Burnstein and I'm very interested in your domain.

Investing in domains is a profitable business.

Please let me know your price for the domain in the subject line. If you
have other good names just send me the list with prices.

Looking forward to do business with you.

Regards,
Jeffrey Burnstein
CEO
OBS LLC

What do you think?

 

[Dale Hubbard]

Hi all, I just received this e-mail regarding one of my domains and want you to tell me if it sound like a scam as I have no experience:

Hello,

My name is Jeffrey Burnstein and I'm very interested in your domain.

Investing in domains is a profitable business.

Please let me know your price for the domain in the subject line. If you
have other good names just send me the list with prices.

Looking forward to do business with you.

Regards,
Jeffrey Burnstein
CEO
OBS LLC

What do you think?

It's certainly spam if not a scam. And bad spam at that -- in one breath he's asking to buy your domain and in the next, he tells you how profitable the business is. Check out the email header. Also, is his return address at a private domain, or aol/hotmail etc.?

 

[draggar]

Sounds like the beginning of an appraisal scam. You say yes with an offer, then they ask you for an appraisal though a service (theirs) and then decide against the purchase.

You're out the appraisal fee.

IMO CEOs rarely do domain work unless it is a domaining firm. Look up the domain where the email came from (domaintools.com - get the WhoIs), Google the person's name, the business, etc..

 

[exxe]

it's the well known appraisal scam

 

[armstrongdomains]

Cool, I had a feeling as ive been doing my homework and it sounded familiar to what others have had. Thanks guys, ill delete it.

 

[DN BROKER]

Yes, this scumbag is using godaddy to operate his scam.. his being doing this for several years now

below is more info

http://www.dnforum.com/f26/appraisal-scammer-theonlinebrokerage-com-thread-345590.html

 

[imneazmh]

aZooZa is right. . And thank you MIR for link.

 

[zabijaq]

Nigerian lottery appraisal scam?

 

[guix]

Thanks, just received this scam and had no problems to find the post

 

[beamer21]

Reminds me of this time that I helped an exiled Saudi Prince get his money out of Saudi Arabia. All I had to do was send a certified check to Africa.
I felt good about that one...

 

[copper]

There must be some domain owners fall for this shit.
Other wise, they would of stop by now.

 

[Jeffreyw]

These appraisal scammers usually prey on new domainers. I dont know how they do that.

I have an officemate who just signed up at Sedo, was not a domain forums member. He still received that appraisal scam email.

 

[fab]

Why don't you respond saying that you're more then happy to sell the domain at a fair price, but you have one minor stipulation that the domain gets appraised by a professional appraiser, which you will provide at buyers expense.

 

[Fadli]

ask him use broker to make the transaction!

 

[DomainMagnate]

Don't you think his name sounds like some famous and important guy and exudes confidence? That's clever

 

[joehark]

I just sent Burnstein a link to this forum and told him if he made good on his estimate of the value of my domain ("I'm thinking between $6000 and $8,000" he says - fo CaptainGourmet.com, worth, in humbled estimate, somewhat less (OK, a whole lot less) by actually sending the money I would post a glowing rebuttal to the horrible libel this poor honest buyer is suffering. Funny thing is, he went totally silent and unresponsive as soon as I sent him that link. Until then, he had been really responsive, answering back in just minutes, reminding me of the importance of appraisals and very helpful with links to appraisers he trusts. Maybe he's offended? Maybe I hurt his feelings? Damn, I'm going to have work on my sensitivity and start being more trusting of my fellow humans.

 

[domainguy29]

It doesn't hurt to test the water with the guy by replying with one or two lines requesting more information. It is only a scam if you actually go and give him your cash/credit card. Maybe it is not a scam and it is a missed connection. But if it is a scam, at the very least it is a case study for you to carry forth. But everyone here is right. The case study is only valuable for beginners. If you're running through the day with not a moment to spare, don't give people who signs their names as CEO {company name} any care in the world. No CEO will write to you. They'll either call or have someone else make contact first. "CEO" is only legit if it is a company of 50+ people. CEO in this case seems like it is some dude in the basement.