A recent scam involving misleading snail mail letters disguised as bills for domain or website-related services has been exposed. The scam, known as DomainNetworks, tricks individuals into paying for unnecessary and non-existent services. However, by investigating the details surrounding DomainNetworks, some clues have emerged about the possible individuals behind the scam.
DomainNetworks sends letters to individuals referencing domains that have been or are registered in their name and address. While the letter mentions “marketing services,” it is designed to look like a bill for services already provided. The company claims that utilizing their promotion services will lead to increased website traffic, but its legitimacy is questionable.
The website for DomainNetworks states that the company is located in Hendersonville, N.C., and Santa Fe, N.M. However, further investigation into these addresses reveals little information about the true operators of the company. Neither address is associated with active, official companies according to state databases.
This isn’t the first time this group has operated under a different name. Previously known as US Domain Authority LLC, the company has received an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau due to numerous complaints from individuals who have fallen victim to the scam.
In the past, US Domain Authority used the domain usdomainauthority[.]com to carry out their fraudulent activities. Although the website is no longer online, it is evident that the same text found on DomainNetworks’ website was also present on usdomainauthority[.]com. Interestingly, the information can be traced back to another domain called thedomainsvault[.]com, which was registered in January 2023. Little information is available about the operators of this site, with details obfuscated through privacy services.
However, it was discovered that incoming email for thedomainsvault[.]com is directed to ubsagency@gmail.com. A search for “ubsagency” reveals a website named ubsagency[.]com, which belongs to a Las Vegas-based Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and digital marketing company called United Business Service. The UBSagency website is hosted by the same company as thedomainsvault[.]com. While UBSagency claims to have offices in Las Vegas, Half Moon Bay, Calif., and Renton, Wash., the addresses associated with these locations do not provide any clear leads on who operates the company.
Further investigation reveals that the email tropicglobal@gmail.com, associated with ubsagency@gmail.com, has been linked to several other accounts using the name “Sammy.” One such account was used to register a Twitter account for a Sam Orit Alon, who claimed affiliation with the Shenhav Group. Another email address, distributorinvoice@mail.com, was used to register an account at whmcs.com, a web hosting platform that was previously breached.
UBSagency’s Facebook page also featured some surprising content. Several images on the page were overlaid or replaced with derogatory messages about Sam Alon, one of the potential operators of the scam. However, attempts to contact both Sam Alon and Eliran “Dani” Benz, who is referred to as an employee or partner of UBSagency, were unsuccessful.
While it may seem unbelievable that people would pay invoices for services they never ordered, evidence suggests that these fake bills often get processed by administrative personnel who assume they are legitimate. Previous scams involving similar tactics, such as WebListings Inc., have targeted cities, towns, school districts, and political campaigns across the United States, leading to financial losses for these organizations.
In conclusion, the DomainNetworks scam has been exposed, shedding light on potential individuals involved in this fraudulent activity. It serves as a cautionary reminder to always be vigilant when receiving bills or invoices, especially when they appear suspicious or unfamiliar.