A Domain Name Search Can Save You Hundreds

If you receive an unsolicited email offering to sell you a domain name that grabs your interest, read on as this tip might just save you hundreds of dollars.

Reports are popping up around the web about a domain registration "scam" of sorts. It's not really a scam, but appears to works on the premise the target will overlook carrying out a simple check before parting with their money.

The email starts off by asking if the recipient would be interested in a particular name. Sometimes the name will be in a sector related to the recipient's own domain or line of business in order to make the offer more appealing.

The note then mentions acquiring the name could help in terms of search engine optimisation. It will at times state the number of searches carried out on keywords in the name on certain search engines.

The person then goes on to say he/she will be offering the name to a number of related sites and companies for $500 (or another amount) and the domain will go to the first company that registers its interest in acquiring it.

While $500 isn't all that much to pay for a good domain name when you consider that many will pay thousands, the catch is the name isn't even registered.

If you do express an interest in the name, the person/parties behind this campaign register the name for a fraction of that amount; then sell it to you at the greatly inflated price. For the approaching party, it's a transaction and business with very little risk and outlay.

Some people wouldn't think to run a domain name search first to check out the domain's registration status and no doubt some will fall for the ploy; paying hundreds more for a domain name they could have registered themselves with just a few clicks and in just a couple of minutes.

While the person making the approach about the name doesn't mention they are the registrant, or make false claims about their association with the name, nor states others want to register the domain, so "get in quick"...they certainly don't mention the domain isn't registered at that point.

It's unlikely you'll be offered a ccTLD such as a com.au domain name in this way due to various .au eligibility criteria and the fact registering a Australian name for the sole purpose of resale is forbidden. The strategy is being used most commonly in connection with other extensions; such as those ending with com, net, org, biz and info.

Michael Bloch is an online business consultant with years of experience in the web hosting and domain names sector. Michael is currently consulting for Australia-based Domain Registration Services - start your domain name search.