Golisi

[craigb]

To be clear, I haven't got skin in the game, I won't be needing batteries for a while. I may be slightly manic at the moment, and this just piqued my ADHD interest.

Another post by the skipper, @Rob Fisher set me off on an investigation... Golisi.co.za

I've started a new thread to seperate from the not-currently-a-vendor vendor because maybe it's the same organisation, maybe its different, maybe they are victims/scape goats of a scam. Right now anything is possible.

While the other vendor is registered in SA, with SA contact details, the domain Golisi.co.za has been registered through an anonymous domain provider (see image).

This is dodgy as all heck. Also, it is potentially against the rules/law for a .co.za domain. I sit to correction on that point.



The questions so far...
Who the heck is behind Golisi.co.za?
Why do they expect to take customers money whilst hiding their identity?
Does the other vendor genuinely claim to be official (?sole?) distributors of the Golisi brand in SA?
When is @Rob Fisher getting his batteries!!!

If I get a chance, I'm going to poke around the HTML on their websites, see if any quirks stand out.

 

[Stosta]

When is @Rob Fisher getting his batteries!!!

The crux of the matter!

 

[Rob Fisher]

Yip, I went looking for phone numbers and spotted that too. Dodgy as hell!

I also ignored a rule of mine never to order from a website without a contact number and an about section telling who is who in the Zoo!

 

[craigb]

Well @Rob Fisher , do you speak German?

Looks like the .co.za might be run by or is at least associated with the company that runs Golisi.de

Which is why the Golisi.co.za domain registration details are privacy protected - it's a result of the recently inflicted EU privacy laws.

House of Vape GmbH & Co. KG
Golisi Division DA-CH
Radolfzeller Str. 5
DE - 78333 Stockach
- hereinafter referred to as "Golisi DA-CH" -

www.house-of-vape.de

 

[JurgensSt]

My order was placed on hold from them until I sorted my problem with the other vendor.

Please keep us up to date on what you find out

 

[Faiyaz Cheulkar]

It's common to hide ur contact details to avoid people from doing a whois lookup and getting ur information. When I was registering a .co.za domain GoDaddy gave me that option, I dint choose it because it was at an additional cost. Are u sure @craigb it's against south African law? Because if it is I am thinking how come a reputed web services provider like GoDaddy offering that service.

 

[RainstormZA]

But domain hosting is in Ontario, Canada

 

[craigb]

It's common to hide ur contact details to avoid people from doing a whois lookup and getting ur information. When I was registering a .co.za domain GoDaddy gave me that option, I dint choose it because it was at an additional cost. Are u sure @craigb it's against south African law? Because if it is I am thinking how come a reputed web services provider like GoDaddy offering that service.

I did a bit more looking into it. Many many years ago, I tried to register a .co.za domain with privacy protection, but was told it wasn't possible. Reading now though, I see there is some leeway for that.

For personal domains, I think it's awesome to protect. But for businesses (especially online shops), I feel it should be mandatory to include verified contact info. Ultimately though, the registrar can supply the dummy data, but must still retain the correct info should it be requested by the relevant TLD admins (and presumably law enforcement)

But domain hosting is in Ontario, Canada

Thats just the privacy protected data.

 

[RainstormZA]

@craigb I found the same thing with Bling, their hosting is not local, last time I checked it.

 

[jm10]

Cant wait for Bling to reply to this(in 21-40000 days)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[craigb]

@craigb I found the same thing with Bling, their hosting is not local, last time I checked it.

CHA-CHING!!!

I was just focused on Golisi.co.za, didn't think to look more at Bling ... same domain registrar in Germany.

 

[Braki]

Website is built on Shopify. Trying to find the website I used a while ago to find people who were doing hacks on companies.

 

[Braki]

GOLISI South Africa: This is the new addition to the GOLISI Brand. The Sole Distribution rights for South Africa was awarded to BLING VAPE CO. in 2018 and with this award GOLISI South Africa was established with the best service and quality to all customers in South Africa.

Doesnt this mean they are actually part of the Bling people?

 

[craigb]

Doesnt this mean they are actually part of the Bling people?

That would be a reasonable casual assumption.

 

[RainstormZA]

CHA-CHING!!!

I was just focused on Golisi.co.za, didn't think to look more at Bling ... same domain registrar in Germany.

This just got interesting. Both the golisi site and Blingsa site have the same IP address. It let me to shops.myshopify.com - all information on the whois has been redacted...

 

[craigb]

This just got interesting. Both the golisi site and Blingsa site have the same IP address. It let me to shops.myshopify.com - all information on the whois has been redacted...

myshopify is a legit service. No tinfoil on that front.

 

[RainstormZA]

I know it's a legit service but no surprise that both sites use the same IP address and obviously using the same domain.

 

[Rob Fisher]

Update - I was contacted by the owner of Bling and Golisi SA with some explanation and documentation. He wanted to chat on the phone and I have given him my number to call. He also promised a refund or the same items through Bling. My one question, apart from some others, will be why to leave the Golisi website up and taking orders and money when the deal with them has broken down?

But at least he has made contact which was all I wanted in the first place. I will report back as this develops and I get more info.