Registrar dishonesty

feKIX · 02-12-2009, 02:52:18 PM

Either this is extremely coincidental or I am very unlucky!

Sometimes when I go to register a domain that has high search volumes, my system seems to just freeze up whilst in the middle of the purchase and I cant seem to finish the transaction.
Low and behold, when I later attempt to buy the domain (usually next day)...the domain has been registered!!!

This has happened on at least a dozen occassions. Im not stating the registrars name, but I believe I am being deliberately frozen out whilst someone in the office decides to register it for themselves.

Am I paranoid or does this type of thing really happen?

Answers on a postcard please...or just here in the Acorn threads/PM. My email is paul@daly.me if you prefer more privacy.

rob · 02-12-2009, 03:40:42 PM

.com names or .co.uk names?

feKIX · 02-12-2009, 03:48:26 PM

This particular one was a dot com, but I think it has been both - its happened to me at least a dozen times.

fish · 02-12-2009, 05:00:33 PM

have you tried a different browser on the registrar's site? it may be something simple (yet frustrating) as that

invincible · 02-12-2009, 05:16:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feKIX

Either this is extremely coincidental or I am very unlucky!

Sometimes when I go to register a domain that has high search volumes, my system seems to just freeze up whilst in the middle of the purchase and I cant seem to finish the transaction.
Low and behold, when I later attempt to buy the domain (usually next day)...the domain has been registered!!!

This has happened on at least a dozen occassions. Im not stating the registrars name, but I believe I am being deliberately frozen out whilst someone in the office decides to register it for themselves.

Am I paranoid or does this type of thing really happen?

Answers on a postcard please...or just here in the Acorn threads/PM. My email is paul@daly.me if you prefer more privacy.

You say it has occured on at least a dozen occasions. If it has, why didn't you learn from it after the first few times and stop using the Registrar? Also are each of the "at least a dozen domain names" registered to the same other Registrant, or limited number of other Registrants, or are they all registered to totally different other Registrants?

feKIX · 02-12-2009, 06:27:16 PM

The reason why I didnt stop using the registrar is simple. Like I mentioned I cant be sure its not coincidence or chance. Do you not think it would be a little over zealous to suddenly assume everyones against you and show no trust at all?!!

I assume by the fact you say "why didn't you learn" invincible, means you think it is actually happening?

If I could say 100% they were all owned by the same person I would have a simple answer and wouldn't need to post this thread. The simple fact is Im not sure. At first I just assumed it was coincendence so I didnt bother to check. Part of me saw it as a sort of compliment..the names I am choosing and want to register must be fairly good if someones trying to nab them quickly. Bear in mind, I have only been in the domain industry for around 18 months, it took me time to see how 'cut-throat' the industry can be.

I then thought maybe the registrar sell a list compiled of domains searched for and if someone can see its been in a shopping basket but not actually purchased well then Im sure theres many a shark who would pounce and try to sell it 'back' to them.

fish ; explain the browser thing a bit more to me please..

nick279 · 02-12-2009, 06:28:49 PM

I found this a while ago too (tried in 2008 mind you)

Tested to check if a dotcom was available and next day it was registered

Registering Domains After Availability Lookup

invincible · 02-12-2009, 10:43:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feKIX

The reason why I didnt stop using the registrar is simple. Like I mentioned I cant be sure its not coincidence or chance. Do you not think it would be a little over zealous to suddenly assume everyones against you and show no trust at all?!!

I assume by the fact you say "why didn't you learn" invincible, means you think it is actually happening?

You suggest that you couldn't be sure that it wasn't a coincidence or a chance, however surely your concerns would have been raised by the tenth of the eleventh time? I wouldn't call five times over zealous.

Quote:

If I could say 100% they were all owned by the same person I would have a simple answer and wouldn't need to post this thread. The simple fact is Im not sure. At first I just assumed it was coincendence so I didnt bother to check. Part of me saw it as a sort of compliment..the names I am choosing and want to register must be fairly good if someones trying to nab them quickly. Bear in mind, I have only been in the domain industry for around 18 months, it took me time to see how 'cut-throat' the industry can be.

Well you could say whether they're registered to the same Registant, a small selection of Registrants or twelve different Registrants. Are those Registrants a million miles apart or are they all located in the same town/city? If you listed the domain names here, we might be able to see for ourselves (although I get the impression you don't want or cannot do that).

Quote:

I then thought maybe the registrar sell a list compiled of domains searched for and if someone can see its been in a shopping basket but not actually purchased well then Im sure theres many a shark who would pounce and try to sell it 'back' to them.

fish ; explain the browser thing a bit more to me please..

I doubt that anyone here can state what any particular Registrar might do. However if you can contemplate them doing something, I am sure they could as well.

afx · 02-12-2009, 11:21:57 PM

Domain front running is nothing new in gtld's. Netsol paids out a million dollars in a class action lawsuit settlement, despite defending the practice and maintaining they've done nothing wrong.

It would be interesting to know which .uk registrars are doing this (if any).

jasman · 02-12-2009, 11:45:53 PM

Are you sure the names were registered on the date you attempted to buy them, and not before? Some crappy registrars indicate that a name is available if their server couldn't connect to the whois or some other error arises. Then during the reg request it would become apparent the name cannot be registered.

Statistically, there is a tiny chance that an available name becomes taken in the time it takes you to add to basket and check out. But this happening over again 3 or more times, no chance. Not unless you're trying to register names as they drop or you take a long bloody time to register them! You shouldn't need to wait until you've lost 12 names to figure that out.

02-12-2009, 02:52:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
feKIX Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cornwall, UK Posts: 507 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (0% / 0)	Registrar dishonesty Either this is extremely coincidental or I am very unlucky! Sometimes when I go to register a domain that has high search volumes, my system seems to just freeze up whilst in the middle of the purchase and I cant seem to finish the transaction. Low and behold, when I later attempt to buy the domain (usually next day)...the domain has been registered!!! This has happened on at least a dozen occassions. Im not stating the registrars name, but I believe I am being deliberately frozen out whilst someone in the office decides to register it for themselves. Am I paranoid or does this type of thing really happen? Answers on a postcard please...or just here in the Acorn threads/PM. My email is paul@daly.me if you prefer more privacy. __________________ Web Designers Cornwall Brandable Business Names Hedging Bulbs Cornwall Nature Blog Totally FREE FLASH WEBSITE for your Business - click here

02-12-2009, 03:48:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
feKIX Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cornwall, UK Posts: 507 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (0% / 0)	This particular one was a dot com, but I think it has been both - its happened to me at least a dozen times. __________________ Web Designers Cornwall Brandable Business Names Hedging Bulbs Cornwall Nature Blog Totally FREE FLASH WEBSITE for your Business - click here

02-12-2009, 06:27:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
feKIX Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cornwall, UK Posts: 507 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (0% / 0)	The reason why I didnt stop using the registrar is simple. Like I mentioned I cant be sure its not coincidence or chance. Do you not think it would be a little over zealous to suddenly assume everyones against you and show no trust at all?!! I assume by the fact you say "why didn't you learn" invincible, means you think it is actually happening? If I could say 100% they were all owned by the same person I would have a simple answer and wouldn't need to post this thread. The simple fact is Im not sure. At first I just assumed it was coincendence so I didnt bother to check. Part of me saw it as a sort of compliment..the names I am choosing and want to register must be fairly good if someones trying to nab them quickly. Bear in mind, I have only been in the domain industry for around 18 months, it took me time to see how 'cut-throat' the industry can be. I then thought maybe the registrar sell a list compiled of domains searched for and if someone can see its been in a shopping basket but not actually purchased well then Im sure theres many a shark who would pounce and try to sell it 'back' to them. fish ; explain the browser thing a bit more to me please.. __________________ Web Designers Cornwall Brandable Business Names Hedging Bulbs Cornwall Nature Blog Totally FREE FLASH WEBSITE for your Business - click here

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02-12-2009, 03:40:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
rob Founding Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,879 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 37)	.com names or .co.uk names?

02-12-2009, 05:00:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
fish Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,211 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 45)	have you tried a different browser on the registrar's site? it may be something simple (yet frustrating) as that

02-12-2009, 06:28:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
nick279 Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 653 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 25)	I found this a while ago too (tried in 2008 mind you) Tested to check if a dotcom was available and next day it was registered Registering Domains After Availability Lookup

02-12-2009, 11:21:57 PM	#9 (permalink)
afx Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 237 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 14)	Domain front running is nothing new in gtld's. Netsol paids out a million dollars in a class action lawsuit settlement, despite defending the practice and maintaining they've done nothing wrong. It would be interesting to know which .uk registrars are doing this (if any).

02-12-2009, 11:45:53 PM	#10 (permalink)
jasman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: UK Posts: 476 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 10)	Are you sure the names were registered on the date you attempted to buy them, and not before? Some crappy registrars indicate that a name is available if their server couldn't connect to the whois or some other error arises. Then during the reg request it would become apparent the name cannot be registered. Statistically, there is a tiny chance that an available name becomes taken in the time it takes you to add to basket and check out. But this happening over again 3 or more times, no chance. Not unless you're trying to register names as they drop or you take a long bloody time to register them! You shouldn't need to wait until you've lost 12 names to figure that out.