If you are in Asia, you must have received an email claiming to be from a certain domain name registration center with messages such as that someone is attempting to use your domain name, Notice of Trademark Infringement. Normally, the email will inform you that a certain entity is intending to register several domain names that are in your brand and domain name.
Commonly referred to as Asian domain name scams or Chinese domain scam, these emails are meant to instill fear in you so that you can have your domain name at a certain added cost. It’s a many years scam that you should ignore. This type of scam is, however, different from domain name hijacking despite both being unsafe and fake.
How Do You Distinguish a True Registration From a Fake Scam?
The first hint is that the scam comes straight from an Asian-based domain name registrar. That being the clue, you can now tell the subject meant to scare your since the beginning, a number of them being your domain or brand name for improved credibility.
Another signal is the poor grammar; of you have no ties with the company or the fact that the domain names being applied are similar to your company’s.
It’s important to check the domain extensions used such as asia,in,jp,.com.cn,,.com.hk, net.cn before replying the email.
It’s, however, important to learn that failing to reply to the email has its risk too. Confirm that your domain privacy to ensure that it’s safe enough to cover your domain information as well as contact information. This reduces the chances of using the risky information found on the public database (WHOIS)
What Are They After?
The main intention of these scams is to make you register the domain names that have been specified in the email at an overly expensive cost. The first email, however, will not ask you to register. On replying, they will give you registrations lasing for up to 5 years, but the registration is only functional for a year. The main problem is that you will not be able to move them to your current registrar because you registered your email address with them. They will have the full control of your domain until you have their accord.
What’s The Solution?
If you must buy the domain from the usual Asian market orand, Ensure that you register them under your current registrar.
In Case, You’re in Doubt…
If the domain is authentic, weigh its impact on your business. Check if it’s a minor threat or a real scam. Confirm that the company sending you the email matches the one that intends to help you. Avoid clicking on the links sent to your email before contacting your registrar to ask about the matter.
How Can You Block The Scams?
One thing is that the scams land at different emails randomly. To protect your email from them, you need to identify the telemarketers, use the privacy of the domain as well as the cover domain registration without forgetting the contact information.
If you have the idea that it’s trademark infringement, try sending a UDRP to ICANN.
Avoid intimidation caused by unnecessary defensive registration of domain name.
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