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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    SI / Europe
    Posts
    8

    iTime Marketing, Inc or thepreferredurl.com - anyone heard of them?

    On 23th of April I got following mail from Ken Palm
    ken@thepreferredurl.com:
    Recently, REMOVED.com expired and went into a
    domain name auction. We acquired it and, since you
    own the .net version of this domain name, we
    wanted to provide you with the opportunity to own the
    preferred .com version.

    Our company specializes in recovering preferred expiring
    domains and either selling them to individuals such as
    yourself or building out our own web presence on those
    valuable domains.

    REMOVED.com is a pretty darn good domain name and,
    the truth is, the .COM is a far stronger version of the
    name than the .NET is.

    * .Com is the strongest brand on the internet.
    When people think of a website, they intuitively
    think '.com'. Odds are people trying to get to
    your website are inadvertently going to REMOVED.com
    because they assume that's where they can find you.

    * .Com conveys Professionalism that .net & .org
    cannot match.

    If you'd like to own REMOVED.com, you can buy it
    now by covering our acquisition costs and a modest profit.

    If you have any interest I encourage you to act quickly
    because this domain name will only be offered for sale
    for a limited time.

    Click Here For Pricing On REMOVED.com

    http://www.thepreferredurl.com/buy.php?REMOVED.com


    Please advise,

    Ken Palm
    ken@thepreferredurl.com
    tel: 563.823.4644

    iTime Marketing, Inc
    322 N. Main Street
    Davenport, IA 52801
    They want 457$. I checked them via Google and saw several same pages with same text and price for buying domain.
    Here is one example:
    https://secure.itimedomains.com/buy....ki.com&lang=en
    Today they have special prize with promo code at 207$

    That dude sent me an email twice more (on two next days)

    Today i checked them again and in whois i don't find any record for that REMOVED.com domain.

    My questions are:
    - Anyone know that company?
    - Can I buy domain REMOVED.com (several whois show available).
    - If I buy it and domain is not available - will i get money back?
    - What about if domain is on sale - will whois show status as available?

    Any other comments regarding this are most welcomed.

    P.S.: Sorry for bad english

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Florida, USA
    Posts
    181
    Quote Originally Posted by alienrex View Post
    On 23th of April I got following mail from Ken Palm
    ken@thepreferredurl.com:
    They want 457$. I checked them via Google and saw several same pages with same text and price for buying domain.
    Here is one example:
    https://secure.itimedomains.com/buy....ki.com&lang=en
    Today they have special prize with promo code at 207$

    That dude sent me an email twice more (on two next days)

    Today i checked them again and in whois i don't find any record for that REMOVED.com domain.

    My questions are:
    - Anyone know that company?
    - Can I buy domain REMOVED.com (several whois show available).
    - If I buy it and domain is not available - will i get money back?
    - What about if domain is on sale - will whois show status as available?

    Any other comments regarding this are most welcomed.

    P.S.: Sorry for bad english
    The whois shows it as not available, and privacy protected:

    Domain Name: REMOVED.COM

    Registrant:
    PrivacyProtect.org
    Domain Admin ()
    P.O. Box 97
    All Postal Mails Rejected, visit Privacyprotect.org
    Moergestel
    null,5066 ZH
    NL
    Tel. +45.36946676
    EZHostz.Biz (Established in 2003)
    EZHostz.Biz <-> Reseller Info Domain Name Sales, WebHosting, Email Only Hosting, & Much More.
    Providers of Directi & Enom Reseller Accounts.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    SI / Europe
    Posts
    8
    I used word REMOVED as i removed correct domain name

    NWM: I bought domain in regualr way as they dropped domain.


    I just saw in another post link to http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03..._tasting_suit/ and it seems company mentioned in my original post used so called "domain tasting" as they dropped domain after 5 days.
    Last edited by alienrex; 05-05-2008 at 12:46 PM.

  4. #4
    I received two emails from Ken palm - identical to yours, except he offers me the chance to buy the .com version of a domain name for which I own the .org version. This morning, I received a third email from him offering me the .com version at less than half his previous price for 24 hours only. Like you, I tried to trace ownership of the .com version and it was unclear to me. I am staying away from him in spite of the BBB and similar logos on his URL. As much as I would like the .com version, I do not want the risk or his over-inflated price.
    jobo

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    SI / Europe
    Posts
    8
    Wait 5-6 days and check whois again. If its available buy it at normal price.

    I was checking (daily): http://registrar.verisign-grs.com/whois/index.html and http://www.domaintools.com/hosting-history

    It worked for me.. I hope it will for You too.
    Last edited by alienrex; 05-06-2008 at 01:48 PM.

  6. #6

    Domain name scam

    Alienrex said "Wait 5-6 days and check whois again. If its available buy it at normal price." Great advice. I got emails from "Ken Palm" on 4 successive days. The starting price was $557, later a 24 hour "marketing test" with discounts up to $300, finally a "make me an offer".

    I ignored them all then when the domain became available (about a week) bought it from my own agent - £30 (about $60) for 2 years!

    It's a sleazy business.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Surrey BC
    Posts
    1,343
    If you have a TM send them a letter from your lawyer requesting they turn over the domain name as they are cybersquatting and keep the emails as proof. They made the first offer so this will go against them if you do an ICANN dispute.


    + NOW WE'RE MAKING RECORDS, NOW WE'RE MAKING TAPES

  8. #8
    Thank you to all who have posted here. I got the exact same e-mails from Mr Ken Palm offering me myname.com:

    1. Buy it for only $557 (with all that "darned good domain name" nonsense)
    2. $300 discount
    3. make an offer

    what is 4.? "Buy this domain name or the kid gets it!"?

    I was really unsure about this and I am paranoid anyway about giving out bank details online, even if there is the padlock symbol in the bar at the bottom.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Kathmandu, Nepal
    Posts
    3,982
    Sounds like typical spam/scam, old one was:
    Stephanie van der Westhuizen (acquisitions@tripod-acquisitions.com) Tripod UK LTD

    used to get a ton of those.
    Kevin Ohashi - Founder of ReviewSignal.com - Honest Web Hosting Reviews
    Check out my 2021 WordPress Hosting Performance Benchmarks, the most comprehensive look at WP hosting performance

  10. #10

    Red face ITime Marketing - Ken Palm - Domain Name

    I received an email this morning advising that Itime Marketing had bought a domain name which is similar to mine and that it would be a good idea to buy it before someone else does. Well at $697.00. I dont need it as we receive great traffic to our site but nonetheless I could not resist asking if we could pay $100 and maybe pay some more later. In less than 12 hours I received a reply saying that he had spoken to his Manager and they would accept $100 with no more payments plus $50 for one years subscription.
    Was I suspicious yep. Anyway it seems I had every right to be as you have all said the same type of thing.

    Watch out scammers as we are on to you.

  11. Wink ME Too!!

    This morning I received the exact letter, word for word, only with my domain name inserted. Then a few minutes ago, I received a 2nd letter from the same guy (Ken Palm)giving me more good reasons why I should grab this .com domain from him before it's too late... Isn't there an old saying, slight of palm? Doesn't that mean shaddy dealings? Is that where he came up with his name? haha.

    I received one of these letters about a month ago from the same guy on another domain I own. I waited a few days, then checked the domain's availability on GoDaddy, which was then available so I bought it for $9.95!

    Ignore this guys letters and save yourself a LOT of money..

    What I want to know is, why isn't there some sort of law protecting unsuspecting website owners from these guys? And does anyone actually pay them that much money?

    He offered my domain to me for an incredible offer of $657!!! What a deal...NOT.. I'll wait a few days and grab it for under $10.

    I am curious, though.. How are people like this going about this? It appears that they let the domain go after they fail to lure in some sucker... So how are they holding these domains hostage for a few days?? Are they actually buying the domain or is there some sort of pending program they use, or perhaps they buy it using a bad credit card that will deny the charge within a few weeks and thats' why he's in such a rush to get people to buy it from him immediately before it's too late??

    Anyhoo.. goodluck all you domain owners.. Lets all help each other to never be suckered in by all these scammers!

  12. #12
    Here's your answer:

    public.icann.org/issues/domain-name-tasting

    What a stupid idea from ICANN imo

    cheers

  13. Thumbs up iTime marketing secrets revealed!

    Thank you very much for the info! Now I know how they do it!

    I guess in a way, Ken Palm is doing people a favor by alerting us to the fact that a domain name has become available.. All we have to do is wait 5 days or so until he drops the domain so we can grab it at a normal domain price!

    And I agree. What a stupid thing ICann is doing!! It's just helping people like Ken Palm take advantage of innocent website owners.

    Take care and thanks again for the info.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Minnepolis, MN USA
    Posts
    38

    Ken Palm and iTime Marketing

    I just talked to Ken Palm. He seems like a pretty nice guy, for a spammer. He called me because with over 1,200 domains I was getting quite a few spams from him. Unlike the end users that are more happy with hearing the domain they want is available, and less upset with spam, I started ACTIVELY reporting the spam, using the contact information I could find for all the domains mentioned in the spam. I used network-tools.com to get the IP and hosting provider so I could contact them and the domain registrars to report the spam. Sample of the message I added to the spam before the headers of the spam:
    abuse@nettica.com: itmdomainnames.com is hosted on your DNS

    support@slicehost.com: support.itmdomainnames.com is hosted on your 209.20.74.100

    abuse@enom.com: itmdomainnames.com is registered via you

    abuse@theplanet.com: itmdomainnames.com is hosted on your 74.54.217.194

    abuse@aplus.net: bankservicing.com is hosted on your 66.226.77.34

    abuse@godaddy.com: Your help is requested in this matter. itimemarketingdomains.com is registered via you and there seems to be some connection between you and VIBRANT NETWORKS, INC registrar used for the spamvertised domains who do not respond to spam reports.
    Ken called me because as a result of my reports, some of his accounts kept getting closed because he is violating the TOS of any respectible hosting provider.

    YOU don't have to put up with spam from him or anyone else if you are willing to make the effort needed to report them. If everyone would just report one spam each day, the amount of spam would greatly drop. There will always be spammers and ISPs that are spam friendly, but the spam problem is as bad as it is because few bother to do anything about it.


    If you don't like what Ken Palm is doing, tell him and/or report him.

  15. Thank you for this info. I had no idea there is actually something we can do to stop this spam. Very good info to know.
    I had written to Ken Palm and told him to stop emailing me, which he did... But also, just to make the point that Anselm0o knew what he was talking about on post #12, I checked the domain Ken Palm kept writing me about today and it is now available and I purchased it for $9.99.... This is really the point! Do not purchase a domain from Ken Palm for $657 or any other amount.. Wait a few days and check the availability yourself and buy it for under $10 if you really want it!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Minnepolis, MN USA
    Posts
    38
    That's great, I'm glad you were able to get the domain for a reasonable price. Everyone needs to know that most of these people that contact you either don't even own the domain ( I had one person contact me and when I checked I found I could just register it directly), or they take advantage of the 5-day "Grace Period" that some registrars have that permits you to get a refund and return the domain if you decide you don't want it or you register a name, but didn't spell it right to start with (happened to me once).

    You can just check yourself or you can use a service like the free Domain Monitor from DomainTools.com you can get messages when the "status" of the domain changes. One of the status changes may be that it's available to be registered again.

    But you also have to keep in mind that if your domain is one that many people would like to own, that you may lose it to someone else. In cases like this it may be worth using a "drop catcher", normally for under $100 that can register the domain for you the moment it is free. They aren't foolproof, but they generally are very effective in getting domains.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    36
    Hey, Im currently having this problem and want to know what to do.

    This morning I recieved an email from Ken Plam telling me that they had registered the .com of my .co.uk domain. He wants $600 for it, which I am not willing to pay.

    When I do a whois search it shows the domain has being registered for a year until 2009. Has it really or is this still a five day domain tasting period?
    I want to .com domain but will not pay what he wants for it and would like to avoid dealing with him, I think its a nasty trick.
    Do you think the domain will be available after five days or it will be kept and ads placed on it?
    Any help is appreciated.
    Thanks
    Last edited by drinkingsouls; 07-14-2008 at 12:00 PM.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Minnepolis, MN USA
    Posts
    38
    Ken's company may or may not keep the domain, but that's not the business they are in. They are in the business of putting the money up for the domains for just the short term and making a quick (and huge) profit.

    But if it's really a nice domain they may also just try to find another buyer for it. Or when they drop it someone else may get it. If you don't think many other people will like it, I would just wait for it to drop again. You can use the Domaintools.com domain monitor to let you know, but there is a delay with that free tool. If it means enough to you it might be worth using a drop server to pick it up for you.

    One thing to check if you are wondering about the "risk" of waiting is what the status of the domain is. Does it have any PR or backlinks? Was there a site that was hosted on the domain before? If it has some of these desireable traits, then the domain might be picked up by other drop catchers who value the domain only for the links and traffic it has and don't care what kind of name it is.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Minnepolis, MN USA
    Posts
    38
    I forgot to mention, if you really, really want the domain and are willing to pay for it, just not the full asking price, then I recommend the following, and this applies to anyone that contacts you trying to sell a domain:

    Be a strong, smart domain buyer
    Those that contact you trying to sell a domain are at a disadvantage. You need to know this and keep this in mind right from the start. They may act like they don't need to sell it, or that they have other buyers but are giving you a break. Don't fall for it. They want to take the worthless domain they have and turn it into quick cash, in most cases, that is why they HAVE to contact you. If they really own the domain, and it is not making any money for them, they need to sell it. Perhaps not quickly, but it's just inventory that's not moving. If they are drop catchers counting on having 4-5 days to sell domains, they don't stand to lose much if they can't sell the domain, only about $0.20 per domain I think, but that can add up if they have hundreds of domains.

    Once you are contacted about a domain, you know you have the advantage. The next thing to do is find out how great is that advantage. You need to know what the value of the domain is on the open market and how many may also be interested in the domain. You also need to know if the domain just dropped or if it has been owned by the seller for a period of time.

    1) Don't let the seller know you know ANYTHING about domain names. You are just a business person with an interest in the domain. Ask common and simple questions about the domain.

    2) Act very interested in the domain. Yes, you really, really want that domain for your business. This may seem like it puts you at a disadvantage, but just the reverse is true. You become a motivated buyer and the seller will focus on you to try and make a deal


    3) Determine what you want to pay for the domain, then start the deal-making. When you get a price, it may take your breath away. That's ok. Creat some dead air when you hear the price, or suck in your breath. "$1,700....!? Wow, I thought they only cost about $30 (That's a newbie price, don't say only $8).". Act SUPER disappointed and depressed. Ask if they will take payments. Ask more questions. Explain that you may not be able to get the domain since you just cannot afford that much. Maybe you could talk to your accountant and see if there is a way to get the money. Act like your best friend just died...!

    Now, you have positioned yourself as a super-motivated buyer, but one with a problem: You can't afford what they are asking. At this point you enter into a period of deal making that could take a number of terms, but I recommend making a really low offer or say you can only afford $xx or $xxx because of blah, blah, blah, and make it a long story.

    Now, if the seller owns the domain, start contacting them once or twice a day and check to see if the domain is available, what you are doing to raise the money, and to make slightly higher offers. Contact them at least once a day, and 3-4 times may not be out of the question. Become the most motivated buyer the seller has ever had in their life, but also the one with the most problems and hardships.

    Now if the seller is a dropcatcher that needs to find a buyer in 4-5 days, this process is going to be much easier. Tell them you are not sure if you can afford the domain but you MUST HAVE IT! Tell them you need to see how much money you can raise and that you will get back to them. Then don't. Wait 1-2 days or maybe 3 days. If you don't hear from them (you will) check to see they still have the domain and let them know that you only have $50, but you are trying to get some more money. See, you know they only have 4-5 days to get the domain, but they don't know you know.

    Now if the seller does not let you buy the domain for a much lower amount, they may keep after you for more than the five days. If they do then they have either dropped and re-registered the domain for another 5 days, OR they may have paid the registration fee. If they have paid the registration fee, they will not feel so much pressure to sell it. At this point you can start using the more extended deal making process described above.

    You always have to assess the "risk" in trying to make a deal this way, but in many cases knowing you have the advantage can lead to a successful purchase at a price much lower then it would have been otherwise.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    36
    Hey, thanks for your advice.
    I think the only worry is that Kens company does not drop the domain, Im concerned that they may have registered it for a year and so if I do not buy it from them they will put ads on it and try make money that way.
    The domain itself is a unique phrase I created and I do not believe anyone would want to buy it. It has only been registered once before now by a company who used it to put ads on. I dont think they will try register again, otherwise they would not have let it expire in the first place..?
    If Ken drops the domain after 5 days then Im happy to wait it out and Im sure I will get it with no problems, however when I look up the domain it says its registered for a year, although, whenever I look up any of the domains currently on sale by Ken, they all say they are registered for a year, and many people in this topic have said they expire shortly after registration.
    Do you think I should wait until Ken drops the price and then buy it off him, or I should wait and hope that it expires shortly?
    Thanks

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Minnepolis, MN USA
    Posts
    38
    Yes, it will say it's registered for a year. Most registrars allow users to get a refund for a new domain within the first 5 days. Since it is expected that the domain will continue to be regisered, the expiration date is next year.

    I really hate the idea of anyone paying iTime Marketing for a domain. Not only do they take advantage of people with their high prices (which is just business and not that bad in of itself) but they are using email spam for their marketing currently, and one should never buy from a spammer.

    But if someone really needs something from a spammer, then it's up to them. If you feel it's something you want to do, then I would start trying to make a deal and offer a really low price and then increase it every day, keeping in mind that Ken only has a few days before he has to drop it, or drop it and then register it again.

    I suspect that if the domain really does not have much value on the market that a person should be able to buy a domain from him for $20-$100. After all, if he only gets $20-$30 it's better than nothing and he has at least doubled his money. His expenses should be low since the system he uses seems to be mostly automated from what I can tell. I doubt he is paying more than $8 for the domain...! :-)

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    36
    Thank you for your help, I appreciate it.
    As long as Ken drops te domain Im pretty certain that I will get it, its just that he may not. Im in a bad position because if I start dealing with him to get it at a lower price, then I know he will just keep it registered because he knows he can sell it on to me, but if I dont deal with him he may just keep the domain and place ads on it.
    Perhaps though, even if he does put ads on it, he will still be willing to sell it as the domain will have so little hits that he would not make enough revenue from ads. Im not really sure what to do. I dont want to profit him, I think the way he does it is wrong, hoever, if I want to secure my chance of getting the domain I may have to get it as low as I can and buy it off him, Id like to avoid that though.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Minnepolis, MN USA
    Posts
    38
    You have a lot of uncertanty, which puts you at a disadvantage, but that's the way these things work. So far, I have not seen any cases where Ken pays for the domain an d puts ads on it. He will be able to see what kind of traffic the domain gets during the five days he has it. But I don't think he is interested in that kind of a business. He just wants the quick large profit from selling the domain.

    I would just wait out the 4-5 days now and see if you can get the domain.

    Even if you lose it, it sounds like you already have a good established domain so you are not going to lose much if you don't get it, right?

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    36
    I guess Ill just have to wait it out. Im hoping that Ill get an email tomorrow from Ken offering me the domain cheaper, and then atleast I know Im in the same position as everybody else.
    I currently have a .co.uk so I would really like the .com, but its not needed, I can just renew the .co.uk with no problems, it would just be nice to go .com
    If you do a Google search of 'securethatdomain.com', which is the company that Kens offering me the domain from, then you will see lots of results with the title 'SecureThatDomain.com - This is Your Chance to Own WHATEVER.com', if you visit them you will see quite a lot have a page saying 'This domain name was recently registered\purchased.', which suggests that a lot of people are buying from him. I have found a few that have ads on, but this could be because they were purchased and the owners put ads on. Most however, have the purchased notice.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    36
    I just recieved another email from Ken this afternoon about the domain, trying to convince me to buy it. In the email he included links to buy the domain but none of them worked, so I checked to see if the domain was still registered with him, and it is but his purchasing links dont work.
    In the email however, he stated:

    'If you're interested, please let me know or use the secure link
    below to buy the domain as soon as possible otherwise I'll make
    other plans with the domain.'

    Does anyone think he would acctually keep the domain for his own purposes? Did he say that to anyone else in their emails and still drop the domain after 5 days?
    Also, other people mentioned that he reduces the price of the domain, he did not mention that to me, although it could have been reduced, I would know if I was able to access the purchasing page
    Thanks
    Last edited by drinkingsouls; 07-16-2008 at 11:53 AM.

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