Chancer or Confused ?

[Slater]

Got a recorded delivery letter yesterday, very poorly hand written from a person which just says "I am writing to you about my domain name to be changed to LIVE DOMAINS"

Only reference to a domain name in the letter was in his email address which is one of my domains which I have owned since 2006 so no way it can be his email address.

The domain name is 100% generic, can't work out if a chancer hoping I'll blindly change the TAG or someone who's confused, they have clearly done a whois on the domain name and got my address and even put their email address as using the domain name ???

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Chancer IMHO

 

[GreyWing]

If you don't respond Nom could have a new drs system we haven't heard of yet to take the name and fine for you for not replying.

You might actually end up owing him money

 

[wb]

Might be confused.

Just a thought, but perhaps they think they have "registered" the domain at Fast Hosts, so think it's theirs, but are really only following the instructions for transferring a domain over to their account (as on here) after seeing you as the registrar.

 

[Slater]

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and send him a letter asking him to explain himself, I would contact him by email to 'his' email address except the email would only come back to me.

 

[Systreg]

I think WB has probably hit the nail on the head, I remember reading something similar on here before, where a domainer was contacted regarding a domain, the person though they had to contact the registrar of the domain (the domainer).

 

[Bailey]

Hand written and a hand posted at PO for a "recorded delivery"

Yep thats a poor lost soul who hasn't quite got to grips with the whole "domain registration" thingy - Be kind xx

 

[redbird]

I had a similar thing earlier this year (although via email not letter) regarding a domain I had caught. The request was to change the TAG.

After a few email exchanges it transpired he had recently "bought" the domain. I explained how whois worked and suggested he get a refund as I was definately the legal owner. Never heard from him again, but seems that he genuinely believed he was the owner. Not sure if he was conned or the seller forgot and let it drop.

Not quite the same as you've owned yours for a while but I'd be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt that he isn't trying it on and is mistaken in some way.

Dave

 

[Aiden Roberts]

OK I will take it back, maybe he isn't a chancer.

 

[tifosi]

Just sounds confused. But going to happen more and more - especially with the declining high street - as internet usage increases, people get/want their own unique website. Not everyone is tech savvy.

I get similar emails regularly where someone 'wants' one of my domains. Some chancers, some just confused as how the whole thing works.

 

[Edwin]

In the .com world I get people setting up transfers all the time in the vain hope that I'll action them and hand a domain over F.O.C. It's that sort of thing that the "Delete" key was invented for...

 

[paulleahy]

Looking through my old emails I knew i still had this Thursday, 28 July, 2005 20:32




Hello mate,

I am a university student [southamopton] and am creating a website so all of us can meet up each week and know what the nights plans are. I have seen you have registered the domain pubcrawl.co.uk and was wondering if you would like to possibly sell it. Remember I am a very poor student and any charity would be greatly accepted.

Thanks for your time and hope to hear from you soon

James


Probadly not a very good student couldn't even spell Southampton
still makes me chuckle

 

[Bailey]

I have had a few like that. In a couple instances I've replied and even dare I say it let one go - And it still gives me a warm feeling, warm enough not to reply to any others

 

[paulleahy]

bailey I had later been told that some domainers have used this as a way of trying to get some names in the old days

 

[Slater]

Update:

Sent the guy a reply explaining I was the owner, heard nothing for 2 weeks then got an email from Nominet yesterday saying the guy had contacted them and could I phone him about transferring ownership. After a WTF type email to Nominet I phoned the guy today with the question "Why do you think you own the domain name ?".

He replied by saying he'd registered the domain name via FASTHOSTS in September. After explaining that he couldn't have registered it as it wasn't available to register he said he'd had the domain name printed on his business cards.

Told him to speak to FASTHOSTS looks like they've screwed up or domain may have been typo'd during registration.

 

[bensd]

Update:

Sent the guy a reply explaining I was the owner, heard nothing for 2 weeks then got an email from Nominet yesterday saying the guy had contacted them and could I phone him about transferring ownership. After a WTF type email to Nominet I phoned the guy today with the question "Why do you think you own the domain name ?".

He replied by saying he'd registered the domain name via FASTHOSTS in September. After explaining that he couldn't have registered it as it wasn't available to register he said he'd had the domain name printed on his business cards.

Told him to speak to FASTHOSTS looks like they've screwed up or domain may have been typo'd during registration.

As he has already had the domain printed on business cards is there any chance of selling it to him?

 

[redbird]

Update:

Told him to speak to FASTHOSTS looks like they've screwed up or domain may have been typo'd during registration.

If it is a typo then presumably he'd be able to see that in his FASTHOSTS account. All he needs to do then is get a felt tip pen and change the business cards accordingly and everyones happy.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Chancer

 

[doodlebug]

Maybe trying some sort of scam but if he his or not I would just ignore him, he never had a right to the domain and doesn't now, I am sure he will get over it and just find another domain.

 

[tifosi]

As he has already had the domain printed on business cards is there any chance of selling it to him?

100 business cards for a fiver is easy enough. Adding 2 or 3 zeros on that to get the market value of a prime generic is a different prospect for a sale. Still just not something businesses 'get'.