closed GiftGivers.com Must Read Legal???

[NexSite]

I just received this e-amil for my domain.


Good afternoon,

I am writing you today in regards to GiftGivers.com. I am the secretary-general
of Gift Givers International, Inc. a non-profit organization dedicated to
helping those who need it most. The organization is interested in starting a
website and recently purchased GiftGivers.org. Due to the similarity of
the .com and .org extensions, the board of directors has asked me to approach
you and ask if you would be willing to sell GiftGivers.com to us at a nominal
price, since being a non-profit does not give us the funds to make big
purchases. Or, if you prefer, you can donate it to us and take a substantial
amount off you taxes since we are a non-profit. Please advise because the board
does not want to launch GiftGivers.org until the .com extension forwards to
the .org. Thanks for understanding and caring for all humanity.


Now folks, the tax write-off is appealing. However, has it ever been done? Can you write off a donation of a domain name? WHo determines the value of this name? Do I need to get appraisals? Are domains qualified property? IM certainly not going to pay for appraisals, but, my dilemma of course, is obvious. Paid for appraisals are always more. I mean, I could maybe do better with the tax write of. Any advice and PLESE appraise. Thanks.

 

[NexSite]

Maybe I need some typing lessons.

 

[namedropper]

You'd be better off having them buy it, then you donating the money back, that way you have actual real money to write off on taxes instead of just somebody's appraisal, which I don't think would fly.

Check with your tax lawyer on how much you can deduct for charitable donations and then figure it out from there.

 

[NexSite]

well, I was thinking of having the best of both worlds. I could recoup my investmet as a service fee for transfer, and submit a modest appraisal for the value of the name. The name has like 29 incoming links, depending on where you look. Somebody used to have it as a gift store. What do you think it's worth?

 

[Aloof]

I like domainers like this guy

Donate the url and help us all get some kind of positive PR for once !

Make sure you get a few press releases out there that highlight your good deed, generosity and GOOD FAITH !

Well done that man !

 

[greggish]

I would check to make sure that this is a real non-profit organization before giving them a domain. Google only comes up with http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q="Gift+Givers+International" and SuperPages.com doesn't come up with a match on a nationwide search.

 

[NexSite]

So is domain speculation in many cases : P

 

[Gail]

One useful place to check out charitable institutions is http://guidestar.org however if you want the dispositive answer on whether or not a charity qualifies for a tax deduction by virtue of being a qualified 501(c)(3) entity you need the most current version of IRS Publication 78, Cumulative List of Organizations. Fortunately, there is an online version available that is current as of Jan 2003 Online Cumulative List

Unfortunately, Gift Givers International, Inc doesn't turn up at either place.

Tell them you are considering their request and ask them to fax you a copy of their approved Application for Recognition of Exemption which is the official document the IRS issues to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations once they are approved. This document is required to be provided to the public upon request, so they should have it on hand and available.

The whole question of whether to donate the domain or sell the domain and donate cash back is moot if they are scamming you.

Gail

 

[domains]

Reading the letter gave me that odd "I smell a rat" feeling. At the point of "Thanks for understanding and caring for all humanity" I started to get kinda ill. I did a quick search on this "gift givers" guy, and he is associated with several "make THOUSANDS with just 6 bucks" scams. Nex, please keep your domain.

 

[Jack Gordon]

Hmmm... GiftGivers.org is registered through enom. How many nonprofits know about enom? That doesn't give me warm fuzzy feelings - I agree that this organization probably isn't telling everything about themselves.

If this is legit, have them pay for the appraisal, then deduct the full amount allowable under the law. That should satisfy the IRS I would think (though I am NOT an expert)

Good luck and be careful.

 

[NexSite]

Thanks for some very helpful information guys, and gals.

 

[domains]

GiftGivers.com is a great name that may some day sell for a bundle. It appears with this particular offer that there is no "they" but rather perhaps one individual trying to get away with something.

Many non-profits realize the value of a premium domain name:

The National Wildlife Federation recently bought San Francisco-based eNature.com for $4 million dollars, to be paid over four years. The purchase of the company allowed valuable hyperlinks between the highly trafficked eNature.com and the Federation's own site, nwf.org.

And the Nature Conservancy attests that $250,000 is a reasonable price for a good domain name, after its purchase of nature.org.

 

[DrWho]

Sell it to them for $10,000 and donate it back in $CASH$