Is this a scam?

Phinix1 · March 2017

So I recently had to cancel my sub after 3 years of playing and modding as I am disabled but get no help from the government due to my age and not being able to afford a lawyer to sue for discrimination. Anyway, today I get this email:

Hi James,
We'd like to reach out and offer you a special one-time only, buy one month, get one month free ESO Plus membership deal.

As a reminder, ESO Plus membership comes with the following benefits:
Access to all DLC Game Packs as long as ESO Plus membership is current

1500 Crowns per 30-day membership to spend in the in-game Crown Store

Unlimited use of the Craft Bag

A +10% Upgrade to character progression

Double the decorating space for your house

For more information about this special offer, or for information about our Crown Store gifting program, simply reply to this email.

Finally, if there is anything at all we can do to help make your overall ESO experience better, please let us know. We're here to help!

Warm Regards,
The Elder Scrolls Online Support Team

OK, so first off this comes from teso_help@mailmw.custhelp.com while all other ESO mails come from noreply@mail.elderscrollsonline.com. 2nd, I have unsubscribed from all marketing mails in my account settings. Thirdly, I have been told flat out in the past "we have no Crown Gifting system at this time" by support personnel, yet here this email is advertising it.

If this is legit can someone from ZOS let me know?

@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom

TIA.

Phinix1 · March 2017

Well, according to this it looks like a scam since it is not from one of the listed emails ZOS sends from. Figures.

Kaymorolis · March 2017

That's smells like a scam to me.

Cpt_Teemo · March 2017

Yeah my guess phishing mail for malware

rotaugen454 · March 2017

Actually, they have done Crown Store gifting. I wrote to support to gift an elk mount to my non-gamer wife who loves elk, hoping to at least get her to try it again.

Phinix1 · March 2017

It threw me for a second as their spelling and grammar is actually on point.

Usually it is a dead giveaway when they offer "special time deal" or some such.

Khenarthi · March 2017

I would love it if ZOS allowed me to gift you crowns - I could not care less about fame-seeking streamers, but some of your addons have increased the quality of life ingame for me and many others.

On topic: email looks fishy. Until someone from ZOS confirms anything, I would not trust it.

Glaiceana · March 2017

Yeah I agree with you that the wording and grammar all makes it look pretty legit, but its that email address that gets me, it looks dodgy as hell. Don't reply to it (not that I thought you would), and wait on a word from Gina, this might be a big help to them to see if they can stop these getting sent out or at least warn more people about it.

Nestor · March 2017

ZOS has in the past sent emails on a sub cancel with a special offer, sometimes it is buy two months, get one free, or buy one get one.

However this one seems to be phishy. As your right, there is no Crown Gifting, that I know of.

At least they are not asking you to click a link in the email. For future safety, if you do decide to resubscribe, initiate contact your self here through the Store or Account links above at the top of the page.

Cpt_Teemo · March 2017

@ZOS_GinaBruno

Need some help here for a possible "phishing" email that someone received.

Sibenice · March 2017

Glaiceana wrote: »

Yeah I agree with you that the wording and grammar all makes it look pretty legit, but its that email address that gets me, it looks dodgy as hell. Don't reply to it (not that I thought you would), and wait on a word from Gina, this might be a big help to them to see if they can stop these getting sent out or at least warn more people about it.

What gets it for me is the having to email them back thing. A legit email would direct you to the main site so you could just go there yourself (not clicking a link). Plus I can't find anything on a buy one month get one free for ESO plus.

Phinix1 · March 2017

Nestor wrote: »

ZOS has in the past sent emails on a sub cancel with a special offer, sometimes it is buy two months, get one free, or buy one get one.

However this one seems to be phishy. As your right, there is no Crown Gifting, that I know of.

At least they are not asking you to click a link in the email. For future safety, if you do decide to resubscribe, initiate contact your self here through the Store or Account links above at the top of the page.

I am almost tempted to try that, just to see what legit support has to say. Perhaps they will take pity on me.

Acrolas · March 2017

It's not a scam. The follow-up email will come from ESO_Help@helpmail.elderscrollsonline.com and read something like the following:

"Thanks for getting back to me! In order to take me up on this offer, you'll need to do two things:
1. Sign into your Elder Scrolls Online account here and purchase the 90-Day, or 30-Day, Membership option.
2. Reply to this email to let me know!
Once I have received your response, I'll add the additional 30-Day code to your account. Please note that in some cases, it can take up to three business days for the code to be applied. Once complete, you will receive your additional crowns and your ESO Plus membership will have another 30 days attributed to it.
As always, if you have any issues or feedback regarding The Elder Scrolls Online, please feel free to share them with me, too. I'm here to help!
Regards,"

Nestor · March 2017

ZOS needs to update the domain registration on custhelp.com

WHOIS Output

Domain Name: CUSTHELP.COM
Domain ID: 3166372_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.tucows.com
Registrar URL: http://tucowsdomains.com
Updated Date: 2016-12-24T04:47:44Z
Creation Date: 1999-01-22T05:00:00Z
Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2018-01-22T05:00:00Z
Registrar: TUCOWS, INC.
Registrar IANA ID: 69
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: domainabuse@tucows.com
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1.4165350123
Reseller: Oracle Corporation
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Domain Status: clientUpdateProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientUpdateProhibited
Registry Registrant ID:
Registrant Name: Domain Administrator
Registrant Organization: Oracle Corporation
Registrant Street: 500 Oracle Parkway M/S 501ip3
Registrant City: Redwood Shores
Registrant State/Province: CA
Registrant Postal Code: 94065
Registrant Country: US
Registrant Phone: +1.6505062220
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax: +1.6505062120
Registrant Fax Ext:
Registrant Email: domain-contact_ww_grp@oracle.com
Registry Admin ID:
Admin Name: Domain Administrator
Admin Organization: Oracle Corporation
Admin Street: 500 Oracle Parkway M/S 501ip3
Admin City: Redwood Shores
Admin State/Province: CA
Admin Postal Code: 94065
Admin Country: US
Admin Phone: +1.6505062220
Admin Phone Ext:
Admin Fax: +1.6505062120
Admin Fax Ext:
Admin Email: domain-contact_ww_grp@oracle.com
Registry Tech ID:
Tech Name: Billing Contact
Tech Organization: Oracle Corporation
Tech Street: 500 Oracle Parkway M/S 501ip3
Tech City: Redwood Shores
Tech State/Province: CA
Tech Postal Code: 94065
Tech Country: US
Tech Phone: +1.6505062120
Tech Phone Ext:
Tech Fax: +1.6505062120
Tech Fax Ext:
Tech Email: network-contact_ww_grp@oracle.com
Name Server: PDNS3.ULTRADNS.ORG
Name Server: PDNS4.ULTRADNS.ORG
Name Server: PDNS1.ULTRADNS.NET
Name Server: PDNS2.ULTRADNS.NET
Name Server: PDNS5.ULTRADNS.INFO
Name Server: PDNS6.ULTRADNS.CO.UK
Name Server: EDNSMW01.RIGHTNOWTECH.COM
Name Server: EDNSMW02.RIGHTNOWTECH.COM
Name Server: EDNSVIPCH01.RIGHTNOWTECH.COM
Name Server: EDNSVIPDM01.RIGHTNOWTECH.COM
DNSSEC: unsigned
URL of the ICANN WHOIS Data Problem Reporting System: http://wdprs.internic.net/
>>> Last update of WHOIS database: 2016-12-24T04:47:44Z <<<

MissBizz · March 2017

Nestor wrote: »

ZOS has in the past sent emails on a sub cancel with a special offer, sometimes it is buy two months, get one free, or buy one get one.

However this one seems to be phishy. As your right, there is no Crown Gifting, that I know of.

At least they are not asking you to click a link in the email. For future safety, if you do decide to resubscribe, initiate contact your self here through the Store or Account links above at the top of the page.

Agreed with Nestor. They really do send these types of offers out sometimes. Thing is, they DO have a crown store gifting program. Not for crowns, but to gift items from the crown store using your own crowns. It's still in testing etc. so it's all manually done via customer service.

Here is a forum thread by another user who received a similiar offer, and it was posted by a ZOS employee that it was legit. They didn't mention the email address though.

Hopefully if @ZOS_GinaBruno or @ZOS_JessicaFolsom let us know yours is legit, possibly they could update their thread with known good email addresses from Zos?

[edit] https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/3618126#Comment_3618126 Forum post mentioning testing a gifting program.

[Deleted User] · March 2017

Hello everyone!

Just to clarify, we are able to confirm that this email was sent by us and is a legitimate offer. Hope this was able to ease your mind!

Enjoy the day everyone!

MissBizz · March 2017

@ZOS_AntonioP Do you think you could look into having this forum thread updated with that email address? Although it's an old post/thread it is still stickied under General Help and would be helpful to other people who may receive this offer from that email.

[Deleted User] · March 2017

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Glaiceana · March 2017

ZOS_AntonioP wrote: »

Hello everyone!

Just to clarify, we are able to confirm that this email was sent by us and is a legitimate offer. Hope this was able to ease your mind!

Enjoy the day everyone!

MissBizz wrote: »

@ZOS_AntonioP Do you think you could look into having this forum thread updated with that email address? Although it's an old post/thread it is still stickied under General Help and would be helpful to other people who may receive this offer from that email.

Well I am amazed, thanks! And yes please update that thread there, the email really is dodgy looking.

Phinix1 · March 2017

Glaiceana wrote: »

ZOS_AntonioP wrote: »

Hello everyone!

Just to clarify, we are able to confirm that this email was sent by us and is a legitimate offer. Hope this was able to ease your mind!

Enjoy the day everyone!

MissBizz wrote: »

@ZOS_AntonioP Do you think you could look into having this forum thread updated with that email address? Although it's an old post/thread it is still stickied under General Help and would be helpful to other people who may receive this offer from that email.

Well I am amazed, thanks! And yes please update that thread there, the email really is dodgy looking.

Likewise, and yes please add to the sticky. I managed to find that thread so having this in the list of legit email addresses for ZOS would have saved me hogging forum space.

dpencil · March 2017

@Phinix1 Noo! If you have to leave ESO that will be so sad, you are the mod king! *weeps*

Deadfinger6 · March 2017

I know an African General who knows a lot about scams, I'll ask him....

Nestor · March 2017

MissBizz wrote: »

Thing is, they DO have a crown store gifting program. Not for crowns, but to gift items from the crown store using your own crowns. It's still in testing etc. so it's all manually done via customer service.

[edit] https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/3618126#Comment_3618126 Forum post mentioning testing a gifting program.

@MissBizz

Wonder why they would include something like this a retention attempt. BOGO might entice me to sub again, but being able to gift something to someone would not. Unless I was looking for a way to use up my excess crowns, but I don't need to sub to do that.

Pallmor · March 2017

Looks like ZOS is outsourcing their customer service to Oracle. That's who runs custhelp.com.

Kodrac · March 2017

Phinix1 wrote: »

It threw me for a second as their spelling and grammar is actually on point.

Usually it is a dead giveaway when they offer "special time deal" or some such.

Yeah they're usually worded like:

Dear soldier boy,
Me love you long time. 20 dollar.

with some bit link attached.

nimander99 · March 2017

Yeah, I made a post about this a month ago. I got the Email 1 day after I had already renewed my sub and ZoS honored the free month anyways. It was a very cool of them to do that. And it was from Mykael.