I occasionally read some of the spam email that I receive

[thewayne]

I got two good ones recently posing as notification that I have to renew my web domain registrations. My domains cost $9ish to renew. Here's part of the text:

"Failure to complete your Domain name search engine registration by the expiration date may result in cancellation of this offer making it difficult for your customers to locate you on the web.

Privatization allows the consumer a choice when registering. Search engine subscription includes domain name search engine submission. You are under no obligation to pay the amounts stated below unless you accept this offer. Do not discard, this notice is not an invoice it is a courtesy reminder to register your domain name search engine listing so your customers can locate you on the web.

This Notice for: WWW.WAYNEWESTPHOTOGRAPHY.COM will expire on FEBRUARY 03,2015 Act today!

Select Term:
[ ] 1 year 02/03/2015 - 02/03/2016 $75.00
[ ] 2 year 02/03/2015 - 02/03/2017 $119.00
[ ] 5 year 02/03/2015 - 02/03/2020 $199.05
[ ] 10 year -Most Recommended- 02/03/2015 - 02/03/2025 $295.00
[ ] Lifetime (NEW!) Limited time offer - Best value! Lifetime $499.00

The interesting thing is the line about "Domain name search engine registration". They're not actually selling you domain name registration, they're trying to sell you search engine optimization. Then the last paragraph was great, I'll bet they wish they'd sent it in 4 point type:

By accepting this offer, you agree not to hold DS liable for any part. Note that THIS IS NOT A BILL. This is a solicitation. You are under no obligation to pay the amounts stated unless you accept this offer. The information in this letter contains confidential and/or legally privileged information from the notification processing department of the ...

I love the "THIS IS NOT A BILL" bit, and the 'contains confidential legally privileged information'. No it doesn't, sweetheart. If you sent it online, and you sent it unsolicited, it's fair game.

It's a scam trying to sell a service of dubious value under the thin veneer of looking a little like an invoice. But it did prompt me to review my three domain registrations and renew one of them a few months early.

Comments

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. =:D And you refused such a generous offer? ^_^

I know I'd have to go researching the company, if they don't just rebrand on a monthly basis - there's surely a trail of stories following them. (Not, of course, that there isn't such a thing as legitimate SEO, but ye gods and little fishes, it's even more effective than hustings at flushing out the scammers and spinmeisters)

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I was greatly amused initially reading it, but I didn't realize with my first read that it was an SEO solicitation. I think it's a pretty clever attempt at marketing, but as it got caught by my spam filter as UCE, pretty much doomed to failure. But as they say, if even a tenth of a percent of spam results in a transaction, then it's a successful spam campaign.