Domain Services Search Engine Submission and Registration Scam

March 28th, 2010 → 10:03 am @ The Naming Dude

7


Death is Too Good for These Scammers

This scam is really basic. They use the fear of not performing well in search engines to dupe you into thinking that you are already enrolled with this “service” and that failing to renew will hurt your online presence. The fraud works on two levels:

1. Trick you into renewing a service you don’t actually have.

2. Use your ignorance of how search engines work to sell a completely useless service as an outrageous price.

What’s most interesting about this email is that the domain in question isn’t even hosted. There is no website there and I don’t ever plan to put one up. They simply scraped my email off the whois registry and sent it out like they did to about 10 million other random people.

Bottom line – no one needs to submit their website to any search engine. No only is it pointless but they find your site all by themselves with ease. Heck, they even find the content you DON’T want them to find.

Here’s the text from the original email:

Subject: Domain Notification: CLAY BUTLER This is your Final Notice of Domain Listing – MATCHRIGHT.ORG

From: doservi7873@hotmail.com

Attn: CLAY BUTLER
As a courtesy to domain name holders, we are sending you this notification for your business Domain name search engine registration.  This letter is to inform you that it’s time to send in your registration and save.

Failure to complete your Domain name search engine registration by the expiration date may result in cancellation of this offer making it difficult for your customers to locate you on the web.

Privatization allows the consumer a choice when registering.  Search engine subscription includes domain name search engine submission.  You are under no obligation to pay the amounts stated below unless you accept this offer. Do not discard, this notice is not an invoice it is a courtesy reminder to register your domain name search engine listing so your customers can locate you on the web.

This Notice for: WWW.MATCHRIGHT.ORG will expire on March 25,2010 Act today!

Detail of Service:
SEARCH SUBMISSIONS

Reply by Date:
03/25/2010

For Domain Name:
MATCHRIGHT.ORG

*100% SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED OR YOUR MONEY BACK
Select Term     Your Existing Domain     Period Covered     Price
MATCHRIGHT.ORG
[  ]  1 year           03/25/2010 – 03/25/2011     $75.00
[  ]  2 year           03/25/2010 – 03/25/2012     $119.00
[  ]  5 year           03/25/2010 – 03/25/2015     $199.00
[  ]  10 year     -Most Recommended-     03/25/2010 – 03/25/2020     $295.00
[  ] Lifetime (NEW!)     Limited time offer – Best value!     Lifetime     $999.00

Please ensure that your contact information is correct or make the necessary changes.
Full Name: CLAY BUTLER                                   Email:    CLAY@CLAYBUTLER.COM

Email 2: ____________________

Phone:  _____________________
Want to receive this notification for other domains you own? simply list them below:

_____________________                     _____________________

_____________________                     _____________________
Today’s Date: _____________________     Signature: _____________________

Option 1:
Payment by Credit Card (Recommended – Quickest way)
PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN BY FAX: 1-646-385-7542
(Please do not include your credit card details on this form, we will send you instructions on how to make a payment after we receive your fax)

Option 2:
Payment by Check or Money Order
Print and mail a copy of this order form along with a check or money order to the address listed below:

Domain Services
47-47 36th Street #16452
Long Island City, NY 11101
United States of America

Please do not forget to include a copy of this order form along with your payment!
MATCHRIGHT.ORG

Here’s a screenshot of what the original email looked like:

search engine submission scam sample email
 File Under: Domain Name Scams – Search Engine Submission Scams