So, you’ve got a brick and mortar business and you figure to yourself, why not have an online presence as well? Thus a website is the next item in your to do list. I mean, your buddy next door has it, his supplier has it, your customers have multiple websites for multiple subsidiaries and even your neighbor has a site about his personal stuff online. So this has got to be the way to go right?
Soon you’ve paid someone to build your website and you are up and running in a week’s time. Everything looks hunky dory as you begin to promote your company online via several business directories and trade leads.
Then one fine day, you receive an email marked urgent from some technology company from China. In it, is an urgent message telling you of an attempt that your company trademark and name is being registered by an unknown company. These guys have funny names for the companies they choose. In my case it was Mtmlime Technology Limited.
So this guy who emailed me goes by the name of Druse Ginger. I mean, he’s gotta be WHITE or Eurasian right? I mean… “Druse Ginger”! Which Asian guy goes by that name anyway. Ok, so Druse highlighted to me that Mtmlime Technology Limited was trying to register my company’s trademark. Laugh our loud indeed. Furthermore, he mentioned that he’s being careful for not letting MTMlime Technology register my company domains and internet trademark, because he found out that we already have that name registered earlier and would like us to have the “Opportunity” to register it before Mtmlime does. This guy’s thoughtful, in a scammy way!
So in the spirit of bad economy and being near to Christmas, I obliged him by playing panic. I needed to know how to stop Mtmlime from buying up my company “Trademark”. So he offered to help me register my company name on the internet as my own trademark and also assist me in acquiring multiple domains with extensions like the following:
Domain name Unit price/ Per Year
dpinterworld.cn 34.54 USD
dpinterworld.com.cn 34.54 USD
dpinterworld.de 59.98 USD
thescreamingo.tw 75.66 USD
dpinterworld.hk 75.66 USD
dpinterworld.asia 75.66 USD
dpinterworld.ch 75.66 USD
dpinterworld.jp 168.28 USD
dpinterworld.fr 168.28 USD
Internet TradeMark Unit price/ Per Year
Dpinterworld 167.45 USD
Well, if you notice, I don’t see why “thesceramingo.tw” had ANYTHING to do with my company.
Talk about day light robbery! This is worse than robbing pocket money from a primary school kid. Luckily for me, they are not dealing with a school kid this time.
Just to give him the benefit of the doubt, Druse must be quoting me prices from 1998 when domain registrars are not easily accessible from all over the world.
So after giving Druse some feedback, he called up to follow up just like a true blue salesman. The funny thing is, Mr. Druse Ginger sounded Chinese! More like a hippy Hongkie.
Druse was particularly aggressive and chased for the form and payment to be remitted quickly. I mean it’s got to be a good sale isn’t it? Margins as high as 1000%! Otherwise what’s the big rush about? He’s even more panicky than I am, considering my trademarks and domain names are on the verge of being registered by another company.
So to avoid and trouble for Druse, I later explained to Druse that Mtmlime Technology Ltd belongs to my cousin and he just wants to buy these domains plus my internet “Trademark” for me as Christmas presents. That’s what extended families are for right?
So there really is no dispute at all Druse. Just some mis-communication exaggerated with multiple inflated domain name price tags that’s all. No big deal. So Druse goes on to save the day while I continue my business as usual. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Mr Ginger!
Therefore folks, if you are new to setting up your websites and online business, don’t pay the unnecessary premiums of being a fool. I believe that these fraudsters operate and capitalize on the ignorance of all who are new to the internet. It is recommended that you do your due diligence and compare prices from various sources no matter what you are buying. Checking prices are easier than ever when the internet is so easy to use these days. All you have to do is to search for the product you are buying and then compare from a few vendors.
If you do that, you will first have a bearing of the price on the item you want to buy before you actually contact the seller. This principle applies for everything you purchase from building materials all the way to the shoes you wear. Don’t pay more than what you are supposed to pay, that should be the way to do business and to manage your finances. After all, the money you saved can be used in other manners that can benefit your business further. So take care and do your homework well, you will not regret it.