Don't Fall For This Domain Scam

I received an email recently that I discovered is a scam, and I wanted to share this so you wouldn't fall for it -- or have to take the time to research it to find out it is a scam!

Here's the email I received (from "Matthew Zeng" -- all errors are from the email sender):

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are a service agency for registering domain names. Our center received an application from Sean Lim International Ltd. today. They applied for the registration of rwdigest as their Brand Name and some top-level domain names. But we found the main body of domain names is same as yours. We are not sure about the relationship between you and them. As the registrar, we have the duty to inform you the case.

Now, we are processing this application. Our center needs to confirm whether this company is authorized by your company. If so, we will continue the next step of registration. If not, please let me know as soon as possible in order that our center can deal with this problem timely. We await your prompt reply.

Best Regards
Matthew Zeng
Tel: +86.5516 3491 191
Fax: +86.5516 3491 192
Address:No.1,Xingshun Building, Fengyang Road, Hefei China

I did a Google search for "received email from domain registrar saying someone has applied for domain similar to mine" and came across this Stackexchange thread that confirmed it was a scam.

There were several examples of similar emails -- but more important, it gives the "how" of this scam. How do the scammers monetize their emails?

The answer: Domain registration fees.

If you respond back to the email saying that you own the domain, you will receive one of two responses -- one from the company that purportedly wants to register the domains, indicating they intend to go ahead and register the domains ... and/or a response from the initial contact, saying you have "priority in the registration" of the domains during the "audit period." The company will offer to register the domains for you (rwdigest.cn, rwdigest.com.cn, rwdigest.net.cn, rwdigest.org.cn).

Of course, no one is really interested in registering your domain names. It's a scam to either get you to pay to register these additional domains (AND possibly to steal your payment information once you provide it).

So just IGNORE this email if you get it.

Day 2: Biased "Resume Writer" Evaluation Websites

I wrote about this type of website before -- the website that purports to "rate" professional resume writing services, but is really a shill (or shell!) site for a resume writing company with multiple websites. My initial post on the subject got more than 20 responses.

Here's the latest website of this type -- Resume Shopper.

My problem with Resume Shopper is that they advertise The "Top 7 Resume Sites" but it appears to be a site that resume sites can pay to advertise one (and therefore be listed as a "TOP" resume site). Furthermore, in looking at the sites that are linked, it appears that they are all owned by the same company, as the contact information for many of the sites is "535 W. South Boulder Road, Suite 240, Lafayette, CO 80026." (That's the contact address for KSA-Help, Federal-Resumes.us, Career Change Resumes, and Entry-Level-Resumes.)

Furthermore, although Resumes Guaranteed lists "Andrew Greenstein" as a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (which he is), according to their website, he's not using the official PARW logo, which is strange. Here are the logos he displays:

1-on-1-resumes, which Greenstein also owns, is also listed as one of the "Top 7" sites. Resume Perfection, another of the sites listed, has the same design/structure as 1-on-1 Resumes and even references 1-on-1 Resumes:

I think this is deceptive advertising. There is certainly nothing wrong with having multiple sites dedicated to different segments of the job market (i.e., an executive-targeted site, a new-college-grad website, etc.), but setting up a website that purports to be an objective source of information about resume writing services (saying, "NO resume service is permitted to advertise here until they have been thoroughly reviewed and tested by our analysts") is misleading to consumers.

And it reflects poorly on our industry. This is a scam that reputable resume writers don't engage in.

This is the second in a series of blog posts as part of the "The Jessica Swanson 50-Day Blog Post Challenge." Today's challenge is: "Expose a scam in your industry."

The Fake CPRW Controversy

A few months ago, I wrote about "fake career associations" -- specifically, a bogus outfit called the "National Association of Career Professionals" that purported to offer a "Certified Professional Resume Writer" credential.

This issue has surfaced again -- this time, in response to a post by Marilyn Maslin, of The Maslin Group, on the Denver Jobing blog. Ms. Maslin wrote a blog post titled "How to Select a Resume Writing Service: Part I" in which she writes:

What are the Writers Credentials:
What is their writing experience and business background? Many résumé writing firms promote that they are staffed by certified résumé writers. The most common certification is the Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). This certification is purchased online and allows companies to use the CPRW logo or seal to build credibility. In truth, this seal can simply be purchased without much hassle. To understand your writers credentials inquire into their business experience. Do they have expertise in resume writing, hiring, recruiting, human resources, or your specific industry? It is important to note that a good résumé writer must also be an experienced interviewer. The résumé writing process always begins with asking the right questions.

As the author of "Are You Certifiable?," an in-depth examination of the major certifications offered by the four largest legitimate professional resume writing associations, I feel qualified to offer an opinion on this issue.

Ms. Maslin is correct that the Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) credential is the most common certification -- but that's the CPRW offered by the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC) -- NOT the certification she purchased online approximately 16 months ago, according to her follow-up post.

I believe her CPRW came from the "National Association of Careers Professionals" -- NOT from the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches...primarily because PARW/CC does not have a record of Ms. Maslin being awarded a CPRW from their organization.
Ms. Maslin does not reference the CPRW credential on her website. Individuals who receive their CPRW from the PARW/CC receive a logo they can display on their sites. Nor does her name come up when conducting a search of Certified Professional Resume Writers on the PARW website.

I've contacted Ms. Maslin and left her a message. I hope to talk to her directly and see what organization's name appears on her "CPRW" certificate. If it looks like this (below), she got scammed:


I can't find my CPRW certificate at the moment (we've moved offices twice since I received it in 2004), or I'd scan it in and show you what a real (earned) CPRW certificate looks like. (If someone wants to scan theirs in and e-mail it to me at rwdigest@aol.com, I'll be happy to post it.)