Domain Buying Scam?

Filed Under Internet, Scam, Uncategorized |

I got the following email today:

From: Anne Gaskins <shuja@emirates.net.ae>
Subject: Your Website

Hello,

Browsing on the Internet I came across your website [domainname.com] . If you are interested in selling it, please email me back your phone number, so we can discuss it.
I have cash to buy today!

Thank you in advance

My first thought was why in the world do they want to buy this domain? It’s old, outdated, and the comments have been spammed to hell so it hardly even ranks in Google. Yes, it’s a site I totally neglected because a) I tossed it up in 20 minutes and b) it has only made $224 in Google Adsense in the 2.5 years it’s been up. I was planning on emailing them back just out of curiosity, but then I saw this post pop up in my news reader. Looks like I’m not the only one.

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Winston is a scam

Filed Under Internet, Scam |

I received the following email the other day:

from Winston
to admin@mydomain.com
subject Have a question about the site…

I had stopped by the site and took a look at your ranking and just wondered if you’d be at all interested in having your site appear on page 1 of Google, Yahoo, MSN and a few other major engines - Guaranteed page 1 within 7-14 days 100% to get the most out of the 4th quarter rush. Yes, I’m a real person, Yes, I actually just came back from viewing your site. I already know you get a ton of offers day to day. This is obviously different, I have plenty of references. Call me at home if you want to, I work at home all day long building sites, optimizing adword campaigns, doing press releases, doing graphic design, basic freelance work for multiple people. My number is below, please let me know either way as I’m not going to pester you again if all you have to say is no.

What it is I plan on doing is working to get your listings on page 1 naturally, until I am able to do so, I pay (out of my own pocket) for your sponsored listing/pay per clicks which would appear on page 1, so you really have nothing to lose as you will be on page one either way. In any event, if this would be something you’d be interested in having me do please let me know as I’m only going to do this for a handful of people as it takes time to monitor everything.

Winston
312-275-8558

No Winston, you did not take a look at my rankings, and you probably didn’t take a look at my site. If you had, you would know I rank #1, #3, and #3 for the top three search queries I target, ranking only below the official pages of the device my site is about. I don’t think I’d ever hire someone who is dumb enough to blanket-email and not do the proper research. I would recommend against anyone else hiring this guy too. If you really want to get to the top of the search results, you can either buy a listing directly from Google, or you can learn about Search Engine Optimization.

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Paul Lockett is a scam

Filed Under Internet, Scam |

I received the following email the other day, thought I’d post it up here to let people know that it is a scam. Don’t bother replying.

Good day,

My name is Mr. Paul Lockett, I am a senior partner in the firm of
Infinity Consultants “Private Investigators and Security Consultants”.
We are conducting a standard process investigation on behalf
of “HSBC”, the International Banking conglomerate.

This investigation involves a client who shares the same surname with
you and also the circumstances surrounding investments made by this
client at “HSBC”, the Private Banking arm of HSBC. The HSBC Private
Banking client died in testate and nominated no successor in title
over the investments made with the bank. I would respectfully request
that you keep the contents of this mail private and respect the
integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail.

I contact you independently of our investigation and no one is
informed of this communication. I would like to intimate you with
certain facts that I believe would be of interest to you.

You share similar details to the late fellow; I am prepared to place
you in a position to instruct the firm to release the deposit to you
as the closest surviving relation. Upon receipt of the deposit, I am
prepared to share the money with you, that is, I will simply nominate
you as the next of kin and have them release the deposit to you. We
share the proceeds 50/50. I would have gone ahead to ask the funds be
released to me, but that would have drawn a straight line to me and my
involvement in claiming the deposit. But on the other hand, you with
the same very name as the depositor’s would easily pass as the
beneficiary with right to claim. I assure you that I could have the
deposit released to you within few days.

I am aware of the consequences of this proposal. I ask that if you
find no interest in this project that you should discard this mail. I
ask that you do not be vindictive and destructive. If my offer is of
no appeal to you, delete this message and forget I ever contacted you.
Do not destroy my career because you do not approve of my proposal.
You may not know this but people like myself who have made tidy sums
out of comparable situations run the whole private banking sector. I
am not a criminal and what I do, I do not find against good
conscience, this may be hard for you to understand, but the dynamics
of my industry dictates that I make this move. Such opportunities only
come ones in a lifetime. I cannot let this chance pass me by, for
once, I have found myself in total control of my destiny. These
chances won’t pass me by. I ask that you do not destroy my chance, if
you will not work with me let me know and let me move on with my life
but do not destroy me. I am a family man and this is an opportunity to
provide them with new opportunities.

There is a reward for this project and it is a task well worth
undertaking. I have evaluated the risks and the only risk I have here
is from you refusing to work with me. I am the only one who knows of
this situation, good fortune has blessed you with a name that has
planted you into the center of relevance in my life. Lets share the
blessing. If you find yourself able to work with me, contact me
through my email account below. If you give me positive signals, I
will initiate this process towards a conclusion.

I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to what 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 plan a meeting, soon.

Kind regards,

Mr. Paul Lockett
paullocket2@yahoo.com

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