wagster

Please be VERY wary if you receive an email similar to this one:

From: info@theonlinebrokerage.com
Subject: yourdomainnamehere.com

"Hello,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Your domain name has been found online.

We are very interested in it. Please let us know your price.

This is not our main business but we make money on buying/seling domains.
This is a profitable business.

Looking forward to do business with you.

Regards,
Andrew Myers
CEO
The Online Brokerage"

Followed by this response:

"Thank you for the fast response.

Can you accept 5,000 pounds?

Do you sell domain with a web site or just the name?

Domain without content is ok with me. Web site is not necessary.

Have you had your domain names evaluated in the past? I mean domain appraisals. Without valuation we cannot be sure in the sale price. It's very important for me in terms of reselling too. But we must engage a valuation company with REAL manual service. So I will only accept valuations from independent sources I and my partners trust.

To avoid mistakes I asked domain experts about reputable appraisal companies.

Please check this blog with suggestions from other sellers and buyers:
Domain Talk

If, for example, the valuation comes higher you can adjust your asking price accordingly. It will be fair. I also hope you can give me 12% - 15% discount.

After you send me the valuation via email (usually it takes 1-2 days to obtain it) we'll continue our negotiations.

What is your preferred payment method: Escrow.com, International wire transfer, PayPal.com or something else?

Hope we can come to an agreement fast.

Looking forward to your reply"

Then, after you tell him where he can poke his appraisal, this one:

"It's a standard practice to show independent valuation to buyers/resellers.
Nobody will do business without it. I'm a businessman and have no intention of changing rules which help both parties to avoid additional risks.

Of course, investors never take into account auto-generated vlauations. So manual valuation is a "must" too.

I read the following information about appraisals at:
Domain Talk

Thank you for understanding. I'm looking forward to do business with you"

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It seems that this is an appraisal scam whereby this indivdual states that he wants to buy your domain name, but only after an appraisal. He supplies a link to a fake forum, which leads you to a domain sales/appraisals site from which you are supposed to purchase an appraisal for 60 Euro; after which, you never hear from him again.

I found these other forum threads which go into more detail about the scam.

NamePros.Com - Easynamesale.com SCAM!!! phrllc@phreaker.net BEWARE!!

NamePros.Com - TheOnlineBrokerage.com???