School domain names scam?

[jgcracknell]

My ICT Network Manager had an interesting and yet disturbing phone call today. It was from a company claiming that they’ve just refused someone who had tried to buy up domain names using the schools’ name. They said that they were refusing the request. However, at no time did they push or try to sell the domain names to us.

 

So it leaves us in a quandary:

 

- Is this some sort of a scam and other schools have been targeted?

- Is there a company or individual out there trying to use domain names with school names in to lure people (and children) into their sites

- Is someone trying to deflame our school?

- Is it something worse?

 

I just wondered if anyone else has had similar phone calls?

[FN-GM]

Might be just a case of buyign similar names in the hope someone will get the address wrong. When they get on the wrong site they see a holding page and the owners pocket money for the adverts.

[jgcracknell]

Hi

 

I know - but there is the issue that some scammers use these sites to lure kids into games and then viruses and also child exploitation. (there that term doesn't flag up Securus or such like!)

 

Afraid I always look at the most devious motives as well!

[FN-GM]

Who knows. If you find any simplay block them at school.

[powdarrmonkey]

If you're talking about a .sch.uk domain, you have nothing to worry about - they can only be registered by schools (actually, they're initially registered by the LA on the school's behalf, and then the school can apply to have it changed to something useful).

 

Any other of the TLDs are fair game though, so either: someone is buying up domains and the company has been honourable enough to refuse and tell you (which I think unlikely), or you're on the end of some pretty feeble scare tactics (which are very common).

[K.C.Leblanc]

I know one school where a student bought the .co.uk domain name for his school and put a proxy site on it.

[featured_spectre]

For our school I bought about 10 variations and had them all forward to the same address. Made life easier, especially as each domain name cost 99p.

[plexer]

The .sch.uk ending domain names for schools were actually registered as part of a joint project:

 

English Schools FAQ

 

Ben

[bossman]

I had a phone call yesterday from an Asian lady claiming to be from Message Labs wanting to give us a free book on how to keep your network safe and would we accept an e-mail from them with the ebook as an attachment, well you can guess what I told her (Yeh corse I wil luv after all i am stupid lookin) not!

So told staff to be on their toes for anything like this in the future.

 

Our Corporate County IT Services have had quite a few services down because of a Trojan which has infected other managed services to other groups whom they deliver IT to so be on your guard people. :)

[mossj]

For our school I bought about 10 variations and had them all forward to the same address. Made life easier, especially as each domain name cost 99p.

 

where are you getting your domains from?

[featured_spectre]

1and1 or 123reg depends on who has a deal on the day

[localzuk]

I had a phone call yesterday from an Asian lady claiming to be from Message Labs wanting to give us a free book on how to keep your network safe and would we accept an e-mail from them with the ebook as an attachment, well you can guess what I told her (Yeh corse I wil luv after all i am stupid lookin) not!

So told staff to be on their toes for anything like this in the future.

 

Our Corporate County IT Services have had quite a few services down because of a Trojan which has infected other managed services to other groups whom they deliver IT to so be on your guard people. :)

 

Just a quick comment, MessageLabs *do* do these calls and are often offering free whitepapers and the like...

[Michael]

Nominet maintain the .uk domain, so this includes everything. .sch.uk, .gov.uk etc and yes, these are reserved for schools and government.

 

However, they'd be nothing stopping someone registering: yourschoolname.co.uk for example.

[sidewinder]

I had a phone call yesterday from an Asian lady claiming to be from Message Labs wanting to give us a free book on how to keep your network safe and would we accept an e-mail from them with the ebook as an attachment, well you can guess what I told her (Yeh corse I wil luv after all i am stupid lookin) not!

So told staff to be on their toes for anything like this in the future.

 

It was probably genuine. It would be a fairly rubbish attack - ask on the phone first whether you'd like to accept a virus.

They were probably just being courteous and didnt want to send out unsolicited emails

 

They actually called here yesterday but reception filtered the call for us

[bossman]

I was thinking more of the teachers who would unintentionally accept this kind of attack as has happened to our County IT.

As for the Woman representing message Labs I couldn't understand what she was saying as the dialect was that bad and when I asked her a question she did not understand either.

Just a waste of time really as I have had whitepapers before from them but not via this route.

[Ex-MGSTech]

They are targeting .sch.uk domain names.

we had this email just this week

 

You could in theory register a domain like yourschool.sch.eu or yourschool.sch.cn but the sch.uk domains are protected. The problem comes in where do you stop? are you going to register yourschool.sch.?? in EVERY country?

 

Its a SCAM to sell domain names

 

Steve

 

Chinese Domain Spam Hopes To Wrestle Your Domain Away From You If you have a domain name or website, you've likely received a message from "Margaret" or "Tina" in the "Checking Department." Margaret (or Tina) will explain to you in her email that "Mr. John Zhou has attempted to register a domain name similar to yours!" This is a common trick in the sketchy and shady domain name business.

The trick is:

1. Scare the potential...uh...sucker by making them think someone is trying to steal from them.

2. Use language in the message that makes it appear something is already underway.

3. Reassure them that their glorious and helpful organization will stop this evil enterprise and help you acquire the "Internet Brand" that is rightfully yours.

So a few things to remember regarding this and other potential scams:

1. Mr. John Zhou doesn't exist. He probably didn't submit a formal application for the rights to "HendersonvilleRotary.com.cn."

2. As far as I can tell, my local Rotary Club has no interest in expanding to China. Nothing against China, mind you...I just don't see myself or any of my colleagues flying to China for breakfast, coffee and "buddy check."

3. If you ARE interested in doing business in China, there are many organizations that can help you do this. The Tennessee Chinese Chamber of Commerce, headed by Dr. Ming Wang, is dedicated to developing increased U.S.-China trade. Don't get me wrong...I'm 100% in favor of American businesses expanding and selling their products and services in China. Buying a domain name in support of your new export venture is great. But something tells me you've got a lot more work to do before you start selling product or services in Beijing.

4. They want your credit card. You can guess what happens next.

 

http://blog.kbsweb.com/

[contink]

It was probably genuine.

 

No, no, no! This is a scam... pure and simple.

 

It's one that's been around in the business world for a considerable length of time, it just sounds like someone has decided that schools are a good target too.

 

I had a client report back to me about this when someone called with the same spiel.. "customer wanting to buy your domain.. this courtesy call so you can avoid domain squatting.. .etc... "

 

It is purely an attempt to get you to buy a domain at vastly inflated prices. It's a win win for them if they scare you/the-school into coughing up because there's this implied value when it's anything but.

 

 

Remember that there's a 7 day cooling off period or some such with domains where prospectors can register a domain as a try it and see, check if has a good potential for ad revenue generation (ie: lots of hits) and then either register as yet another waste of space site or let it go...

 

 

 

Bottom line, if you want the domain, wait 7 days and register it through 123reg, ukreg or a registrar. Do NOT encourage these scam artists, scum sucking vermin.... Pretty please!

[sidewinder]

No, no, no! This is a scam... pure and simple.

 

 

lol...I was talking about the Message Labs phone call

 

I agree that the domain one sounds dodgy as, and its good that people have been warned

Schools are probably an easy target for them, as the ones without in house IT may be scared into actually paying

[gavins38]

I used to work in IT in the private sector for a classifieds magazine and we frequently saw emails 'warning' us about the same thing. It's spam and has been around for a long time. Like it's already been said it's just a way to scare you into buying domain names that you don't need.

[matt40k]

Anyone could register schoolname.co.uk, but they can't pretend to be the school.

[Sylv3r]

I had a phone call yesterday from an Asian lady claiming to be from Message Labs wanting to give us a free book on how to keep your network safe and would we accept an e-mail from them with the ebook as an attachment, well you can guess what I told her (Yeh corse I wil luv after all i am stupid lookin) not!

So told staff to be on their toes for anything like this in the future.

 

Our Corporate County IT Services have had quite a few services down because of a Trojan which has infected other managed services to other groups whom they deliver IT to so be on your guard people. :)

 

She rang here last week also. She sent the whitepaper to my spam / sales account. I haven't read it yet.

[contink]

lol...I was talking about the Message Labs phone call

Ah... That'll teach me to read the thread properly...