Proliferation of scam sites (1 Viewing)

  • Topic Starter rlm
  • Start date
  • Replies: Replies 1
  • Views: Views 367

rlm

Bonfire.ca
Gold Notable Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2020
Topics
87
Posts
2,394
Likes
2,214
Country flag
I was researching a traeger smoker because a friend didn't use his, so I borrowed it and was maybe going to buy it from him after I tried it. So I wanted to google how much they go for.
Weirdly saw websites selling products (including the smoker) at too-good-to-be-true pricing on products that are seemingly unrelated to the domain name. Then doing some domain research (unrelated to smokers) I stumbled onto another and another. Once I started looking for them, I keep finding them.

Example 1: ZhicoHomes.com (where I saw the smoker), a domain name registered just 4 days ago, and by a chinese registrar dnspod.cn. The domain was probably was once an expired domain (although it wasn't listed in archive.org) either. They were utilizing Google ads to draw me in with the super cheap prices.

Example 2: homesmartsstaging.ca - with a Mississippi address at an empty lot (reg'd @ namesilo in 2022)

SAMSUNG 49" Class 1000R Curved (5120 x 1440) Gaming Monitor - LC49G97TSSNXDC -New in Box
Samsung 49" Odyssey Neo G9 32:9 DQHD 1440p 240Hz Quantum Mini-LED Curved 1000R Gaming Monitor (LS49AG952NNXZA) | Visions Electronics Canada

So comparing, that's a $2K monitor being sold for $200 including free shipping on a box that would be nearly 5 foot wide. So I'm definitely calling bullshit.

Example 3: gtahomesmart.ca - with an Ohio address. (reg'd @ namesilo in 2022)

I'm assuming that scammers are going after expired domains for free traffic (or use google advertising), trying to sell products they don't intend to ship and just outright rip you off, then shut down and disappear onto another set of domains.

It's odd they put US addresses on their .CA domain names. But there's really no way to contact them. One only takes paypal, one takes stripe. They include free shipping, etc.. So you could literally buy a desk for $50 and expect it to be shipped to Canada free? No really identifying information on the site, all smells as fishy as hell. So either they are charging them and disappearing, or harvesting data for phishing, or some scam.

It's too bad there's not much way to take this crap down. I know most people with any common sense would not buy something from sites like these, but, I'm sure they're making money.

@richard.schreier - anything you would suggest? Does CIRA take ever take any proactive action against a fraudulent/fishing website? For anything? Or is it strictly reactive via either a RIV complaint or a CDRP? Just wondering what our options are as .ca stakeholders.
 
I was researching a traeger smoker because a friend didn't use his, so I borrowed it and was maybe going to buy it from him after I tried it. So I wanted to google how much they go for.
Weirdly saw websites selling products (including the smoker) at too-good-to-be-true pricing on products that are seemingly unrelated to the domain name. Then doing some domain research (unrelated to smokers) I stumbled onto another and another. Once I started looking for them, I keep finding them.

Example 1: ZhicoHomes.com (where I saw the smoker), a domain name registered just 4 days ago, and by a chinese registrar dnspod.cn. The domain was probably was once an expired domain (although it wasn't listed in archive.org) either. They were utilizing Google ads to draw me in with the super cheap prices.

Example 2: homesmartsstaging.ca - with a Mississippi address at an empty lot (reg'd @ namesilo in 2022)

SAMSUNG 49" Class 1000R Curved (5120 x 1440) Gaming Monitor - LC49G97TSSNXDC -New in Box
Samsung 49" Odyssey Neo G9 32:9 DQHD 1440p 240Hz Quantum Mini-LED Curved 1000R Gaming Monitor (LS49AG952NNXZA) | Visions Electronics Canada

So comparing, that's a $2K monitor being sold for $200 including free shipping on a box that would be nearly 5 foot wide. So I'm definitely calling bullshit.

Example 3: gtahomesmart.ca - with an Ohio address. (reg'd @ namesilo in 2022)

I'm assuming that scammers are going after expired domains for free traffic (or use google advertising), trying to sell products they don't intend to ship and just outright rip you off, then shut down and disappear onto another set of domains.

It's odd they put US addresses on their .CA domain names. But there's really no way to contact them. One only takes paypal, one takes stripe. They include free shipping, etc.. So you could literally buy a desk for $50 and expect it to be shipped to Canada free? No really identifying information on the site, all smells as fishy as hell. So either they are charging them and disappearing, or harvesting data for phishing, or some scam.

It's too bad there's not much way to take this **** down. I know most people with any common sense would not buy something from sites like these, but, I'm sure they're making money.

@richard.schreier - anything you would suggest? Does CIRA take ever take any proactive action against a fraudulent/fishing website? For anything? Or is it strictly reactive via either a RIV complaint or a CDRP? Just wondering what our options are as .ca stakeholders.
Hey @rlm the process we have currently in place for issues of this kind is indeed the RIV (registrant information validation) process. Our experience has typically been that a "bad guy" will not respond to a RIV request in which case we do routinely suspend the domain. We are also working on an expedited RIV process that allows us to do domain suspension faster where egregious content is clear (like child pornography for example).

We also use our own Canadian Shield data as a feed to identify potentially abusive use of domains but typically the kind of example you are citing would not come up in that analysis. It is a very common debate among internet stakeholders in general as to what constitutes "abuse". I agree, many of these "too good to be true" deals are just that. And while you and I (and others perhaps) might consider that a form of "abuse", most confine the definition to the likes of phishing, maliscious code etc. A really good reference point can be found at the DNS Abuse Institute website here: About the Institute - DNS Abuse Institute

Our compliance team is set up to look at potential issues and frankly the RIV process is probably the most effective because we don't (and can't) adjudicate on "content" in that sense. Maybe, on the extreme off chance, the guy selling a $2K monitor for $200 really does have a smokin' deal ;-) (I agree not likely, but not totally without possibility).
 

Support our sponsors who contribute to keep dn.ca free for everyone.

New Discussion Posts

CatchDrop.ca

New Market Posts

Google Ad

Popular This Week

CIRA.ca

Popular This Month

Google Ad

Back