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Initial Scam E-Mails

This week we recieved the following emails in our corporate inbox:

Dear CEO,

(It's very urgent, please transfer this email to your CEO. If this email affects you, we are very sorry, please ignore this email. Thanks)

We are a Network Service Company which is the domain name registration center in China.
We received an application from Rui Tai Ltd on March 18, 2024. They want to register " netscylla " as their Internet Keyword and " netscylla .cn "、" netscylla .com.cn " 、" netscylla .net.cn "、" netscylla .org.cn " domain names, they are in China domain names. But after checking it, we find " netscylla " conflicts with your company. In order to deal with this matter better, so we send you email and confirm whether this company is your distributor or business partner in China or not?

Best Regards
**************************************
Mike Zhang | Service Manager
Domain Registry China (Head Office)
No. 300, Xuanhua Road, Changning District, Shanghai200050, China
Tel: +86-2161918696 | Fax: +86-2161918697  | Mob: +86-1582177 1823
Web: www(dot)domainregistrychina(dot)com
**********************************************

And a follow up email from the supposed Rui Tai owner:

zhoubao_hua@vip.sina.com

To whom it concerns,

We will register the China domain names, our company has submitted the " netscylla " as CN(netscylla.cn, netscylla.com.cn, netscylla.net.cn, netscylla.org.cn domain names and Internet Keyword " netscylla ", we are waiting for Mr. Mike's approval. We think these names are very important for our business in China market, we believe that we can successfully register these names. Even though Mr. Mike advised us to change another name, we will persist in this name.

Kind Regards

Zhou Bao Hua / Managing Director

Their Objective

Urgency and pressure to make CEO’s panic and register unecessary expensive domains through the scammers registration services.

Understanding of Trademarks and Law

Going into Trademarks is a lengthy topic and beyond the scope of this informative post. If you want to learn more, we advise researching the topic here.

In a very brief summary Trademarks offer:

  • Identification: Trademark law protects symbols, names, logos, and designs used in commerce to distinguish one seller’s goods or services from another’s.
  • Exclusive Rights: Trademark owners have the exclusive right to use their mark in commerce, preventing others from causing confusion by using similar marks.
  • Legal Protection: Trademarks can be registered for stronger legal protection, allowing owners to enforce their rights and take legal action against infringement.

Difficulty of registering businesses in China

Registration Process

The registration process typically involves several steps, including company name approval, submission of required documents, obtaining necessary permits and licenses, opening a corporate bank account, and tax registration. You may need to engage with local authorities or hire a professional agency to assist with the registration process.

Limitations and Restrictions

China imposes certain limitations and restrictions on foreign investment in specific industries, such as telecommunications, media, healthcare, and education. Additionally, some industries may require special permits or licenses, and there may be restrictions on the geographical location of your business operations.

Intellectual Property Protection

Intellectual property rights protection is crucial when expanding your business to China. Register your trademarks, patents, and copyrights with the appropriate Chinese authorities to safeguard your intellectual property assets.

How to respond

Either ignore and delete the emails, or if you feel that a response is required

Politely and calmly state your business has no connection or partnership with Rui Tui, and that you have no interests in China.

If you do find domain names are registered, you can file a complaint to the registrars abuse email usually located on the domains whois record.

Spotting a dealing with fradulent domains can be tricky, we will cover this in a separate blog post

IOCs

  • IP: 61.135.153.123
  • IP: 211.157.147.130
  • hostname: smtp153-123.sina.com.cn
  • hostname: domainregistrychina.com.cn
  • email: zhoubao_hua@vip.sina.com
  • email: mikezhang@domainregistrychina.com.cn
  • person: Mike Zhang
  • person: Zhou Bao Hua
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