Don't Let Your Clients Fall for This - Domain Name Scam Alert -

As public relations specialists, we are often called on to help our clients with all matter of things--not just strictly PR issues. Truthfully, that's the way we want it. It's called a relationship and it's built on trust.

The following or some version of it is the latest in scam offerings from overseas. They contact you on the pretense that a foreign company is trying to purchase websites using your domain and trademark names. However being the responsible and caring Domain Name Registration Service they are, they are first contacting you, the owner of the existing domains and trademarks, and will give you the amazing opportunity to get these website names first and therefore protect your brand. It’s a scam, it’s dodgy, and it's unsolicited. Advise your client not to reply, because if they do, the company will then barrage them with more emails containing more spam & potential ripoffs.

Below is a recent version:

Dear Manager: Sorry to trouble your company,my name is "Dabria", We are a Domain Name registration service company, which is the domain name register center in Shanghai,China. We have something important need to confirm with your company.
A formal application here dated on June.22nd,2009 from HAITONG Investment company requested "******" as their internet Trademark and CN/Asia domain names(.cn/.com.cn/.net.cn/org.cn/.asia) on internet,
After our initial examination,we find this name conflicts with your company. We send this email to the owner who have used this name and hope to get the affirmation of your company because that may relate to your internet intellectual property.I want to know whether you allow their application?Now we have not finished the registration for this company, in order to deal with this issue better, please let the someone who is responsible for this matter to contact us as soon as possible.
Thank you!Best regards,
Dabria
Oversea marketing manager
Company: YiGuan China Co,Ltd.
Tel:+86(0)21 6296 2950
Fax:+86(0)21 6296 1557
web:www.ygchina.org.cn