Chinese .cn scam - don't get caught!

by Nan Berrett - Word Solutions


Understanding the Chinese .cn scam


Don't get caught out with an old scam, which seems to have surfaced again.

An email turns up in your inbox announcing itself to be from a 'Network Service Company which is a domain registration centre in China.

It says they have received an application from a business wanting to register your business name as their internet 'keyword' in various configurations. They say they are in China but have checked and have found the domain name belongs to you and conflicts with your business.

Then they ask you to contact them and confirm whether this is your company/business name and want to check whether you are, or have, a distributor or business partner in China.

Research has shown that this scam results in you being offered a deal to secure your domain name in China, or elsewhere, and when you pay you may find you end up with a very large bill, or a recurring payment you were not expecting.

This domain registration scam was first reported in 2010, so it's been around for a while. It aims to mislead and scare domain holders into paying for something they don't need (the .cn etc).

It's been widely reported, but like all things on the internet, we tend to lose sight of information, so it's worth bring it up again and again.

If you do inadvertently respond, hopefully it is before they contact you and ask you to register these unnecessary domain names.

I read a blog post which mentioned that some people had received a bill amounting to $5,500 AUD every year once they had responded to the email and arranged to purchase these domains.

I am such a sceptic that I always double check everything by doing a Google search - Google is my best friend! but occasionally the fakes are so good they suck you in.

We need to carefully navigate our digital waters and steer clear of predators! Stay safe out there!

Nan Berrett creates visibility for small business as well as mentoring small business owners and startups to help them navigate the mountain of knowledge which seems to be part of our everyday life in a digital world. She is based in regional South Australia in the beautiful Clare Valley and is happy to travel to meet clients or chat over Zoom. Find out more or book some time to chat: www.wordsolutions.com.au

Nan Berrett of Word Solutions business visibility specialist and small business mentor



Location: South Australia, Australia

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