Today, like countless other business owners, I received an email that immediately set alarm bells ringing. The subject line was vague, but the opening lines were designed to create a sense of urgency:
Dear Manager,
(Please forward this to your CEO, because this is urgent. Thanks)
We are a Network Service Company which is the domain name registration center in Shanghai, China.
On May 5, 2025, we received an application from Anchi Holdings Ltd requested “jcmwebsitedesign” as their internet keyword and China (CN) domain names( jcmwebsitedesign.cn/ jcmwebsitedesign.com.cn/ jcmwebsitedesign.net.cn/ jcmwebsitedesign.org.cn).
After checking it, we find this name conflict with your company name or trademark. In order to deal with this matter better, it’s necessary to send email to you and confirm whether this company is your distributor or business partner in China?
My business name is JCM Website Design, and I own the domain names jcmwebsitedesign.co.uk and jcmwebsitedesign.uk. The mention of a “name conflict” and the urgency in the email instantly made me concerned. Could someone be trying to impersonate my business in China?
In a moment of panic, I did a quick check and was surprised to find that jcmwebsitedesign.com was actually available for registration! I immediately registered it, kicking myself for not securing the .com version alongside my .co.uk and .uk domains all those years ago. It seemed like a lucky save, perhaps this email had inadvertently prompted me to take necessary action.
I replied to the sender with a polite but firm message:
“Thank you for your email. We currently have no business operations or plans for expansion in China. Therefore, the domain name application you mentioned is not a concern for us at this time.”
It was only after sending this reply that I decided to do a bit more digging. A quick online search led me to a very informative article on DQ India titled “Beware China domain name registration scam: Ignore mails with .CN mentioning domain conflict”.
And that’s when it clicked. This wasn’t a genuine concern for my brand; it was a well-known scam!
As the DQ India article and countless other online resources explain, this is a common tactic used by companies, often claiming to be domain registration centres in China. They send out mass emails to businesses with existing domain names, falsely claiming that a third party is trying to register the same name with Chinese domain extensions (.cn, .com.cn, etc.). The goal of this scam is to scare you into registering these Chinese domain names yourself – through them, of course, and often at inflated prices. They prey on the fear of brand infringement and the complexities of international domain registration.
While my initial panic led me to finally register the .com version of my domain (something I should have done long ago!), it was purely coincidental. The email itself was likely part of this long-running scam. (Since 2010 according the linked article above).
Stay vigilant and don’t let these scare tactics pressure you into unnecessary expenses. Share this warning with other business owners to help them avoid falling victim to this China domain name registration scam.
- Be wary of unsolicited emails regarding domain name registrations, especially those from unfamiliar entities and those emphasizing urgency.
- Do your research! A quick search for phrases from the email can often reveal if it’s a known scam.
- Don’t feel pressured into registering domain names in countries where you have no business operations or immediate plans.
- Secure your core domain extensions (.com, .co.uk, .net, etc.) for your primary markets, but be strategic about international domains.
