My Company Receives a Strange Email From China.

powerss

My boss received the following email... I need some feedback. 1) Is it legit 2) What does it mean and 3) Do we need to have any other action other than replying it is our trademark?

Trademark, names changed to protect the innocent.

From: CHINESE [mailto:xxxxxxxx@cniigov.cn]
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 4:02 AM
To: sales@COMPANYNAME.com
Subject: Notice protect-- internet brand intellectual property safeguard

Dear manager:

On 30th May ,2007 , we received Kingsan Investment Co.,Ltd company's application , they want to register” CN domain name and internet brand (internet keyword) . Meanwhile, we found this trademark is the same with your company's trademark, so in order to avoid the unnecessary conflict between trademark and domain name, we want to confirm with you that whether you authorized them to register or is branch of your company? Because we have our checking time about this registration, so we need your company's confirmation. Please let the people (Manager) who is responsible for the brand to contact me as soon as possible when you receive this email. Urgent notice. Thank you.

JinYue Internet Technology Co.,Ltd

Fax:+86(0)21-6427 1117

We obviously replied that we own the trademark, we are a company, etc...

Thanatos

E-mail them, see what they say.

If they start asking for credit card info or something, it's probably a scam.

DrFrylock

Very likely a scam. Basically let me translate this Chinglish into English:

"Urgent! There's another company in China trying to register YOUR company's name as a trademark and a domain name! If this wasn't you guys, tell us immediately!"

(The followup email will be):

"Oh, it's not you? In order to protect your valuable trade name and internet domain name in China, you need to register with Chinese registrar! Registering your name in china VERY important! Only $500USD. We can help! Send Western Union! Also, I have rich dead uncle in Nigeria if you interested!"

Yar

It very well may be legit, it doesn't look like any scam I know of at this point. They might be legitimately trying to live up to the political pressue we put on them regarding intellectual property violations. It is fine to tell them that it is your trademark and that this is not a branch of your company. But yeah, if they ever ask for any data or money or anything, just delete the email and move on.

EDIT: Nevermind, it's an old scam. I've seen them all, but I guess not this one.