Received a weird email... Is it fake?

[joebryant]

EDIT: I deleted everything that I said here first.
I think it's a scam after reading replies that were written after my original reply here.

 

[Wildsky]

Here are the details on the ownership of that website:
Domain ID89811716-LROR
Domain Name:CLONEMASTERS.ORG
Created On:30-Aug-2002 10:18:06 UTC
Last Updated On:14-Aug-2008 05:02:05 UTC
Expiration Date:30-Aug-2012 10:18:22 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Network Solutions LLC (R63-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:21739850-NSI
Registrant Name:Clonemaster's Lab
Registrant Organization:Clonemaster's Lab
Registrant Street1:Impala Street
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Newcastle
Registrant State/Province:KZN
Registrant Postal Code:2940
Registrant Country:ZA
Registrant Phone:+1.27343159
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:[email protected]
Admin ID:21739850-NSI
Admin Name:Clonemaster's Lab
Admin Organization:Clonemaster's Lab
Admin Street1:Impala Street
Admin Street2:
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Newcastle
Admin State/Province:KZN
Admin Postal Code:2940
Admin Country:ZA
Admin Phone:+1.27343159
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:[email protected]
Tech ID:5358805-NSI
Tech Name:Network Solutions, LLC.
Tech Organization:Network Solutions, LLC.
Tech Street1:13200 Woodland Park Drive
Tech Street2:
Tech Street3:
Tech City:Herndon
Tech State/Province:VA
Tech Postal Code:20171-3025
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:+1.18886429675
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:+1.5714344620
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:[email protected]
Name Server:NS3.NEXUS.CO.ZA
Name Server:NS4.NEXUS.CO.ZA

 

[s6bee]

Stay away, stay away, stay away....

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Wildsky,

That bottom part where it shows the state as VA. Is that the server company?

 

[patandchickens]

I'm with the 'highly suspicious' camp, chiefly on account of, no offense at all meant Shellie, but your coop is not really particularly unusual in any way, nor AFAIK is it especially thoroughly splashed across the Web or anything, nor does it seem to have obvious special relevance to South African climate or conditions.

Have you tried checking into whether that email is REALLY from who it sez its from (i.e. is it spoofed, such that if you hit reply it'll go to somewhere else). I would be concerned that either it's a scouting expedition for people to send extra much more Nigerian scam emails and phishing emails and so forth to (by establishing you as being somewhat willing to communicate with distant strangers), or their idea of asking for copyright permission may involve wanting to know more information about you than is good for ya.

If you really do think that some guy in South Africa wants permission to use a pic of your coop, and do not want to inconvenience him by making him have to ask one of the other million or so people on the web who likewise have coop pix up, then I would suggest creating a sacrificial email account -- something free, like yahoomail or googlemail -- using no identifying details that relate to you personally, and email him separately using that account, using a computer that is not your own like a library computer or such. Honestly, you still open yourself up to the possibility of a whole buncha scam mail in your 'real' account (since they do have that, somehow, and your identifying what coop you're giving them permission to show would link the two email accounts)... but it creates a little more of a buffer between yourself and allthe fun bad things that can happen out there.

JMHO,

Pat

 

[ams3651]

I would just reply to the email and ask for more info. Some times those phone calls can get your for big $ if its a scam. Dont give them any personal info but it cant hurt to ask for more info.

 

[whatsup chickenbutt]

I checked their website and to me it looks like a bogus website. A lot of stuff, but no actual information. Also, its a .org which means supposedly its not for profit, but their is no contributing information, the staff page is locked, etc.
I think these scammers just went one step further and added a website to their game.
I think you already said you were going to just leave it alone and thats a great idea. Its not worth the risk.

 

[BeckyLa]

I'm wondering....if you give the permission and copyright it seems to me that no one, including you, would be able to use those pics without their permission, even if this is on the up and up. I wouldn't do it for that reason.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Technically it can. You can get put on the great big "sucker!" list that goes around out there, meaning you get a lot more Bad type email that junks up your inbox and creates more obstacles to potentially trip over. The more scams and viruses and malware and such you are sent, the harder it is to make sure you will avoid 100% of it (because not all of it is as blatant as "Hello Esteemed Mrs such-and-such You may find surprise that I should write you from Nigeria but...")

Also if they reply to you and you go to read their reply and are incautious about it and/or your virus protection has a wee little gap in it, then you may be acquiring fun exciting malware that will do Bad things to your computer.

Hands off the keyboard when in doubt can be a real useful precaution.

Pat

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
Yeah, I know that's what I was thinking. I googled 'Chicken House' since that's what the email subject line read. Mine isn't on there. There's thousands of pictures of GORGEOUS coops, why would they email me? Heck, if they found me on BYC, there's still way more attractive coops than mine. Ya know?