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Registrar registering .uk without permission

Discussion in '.UK Domain Name Consultations' started by bluerock, Oct 16, 2014.

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  1. bluerock United Kingdom

    bluerock Well-Known Member

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    Hi

    Ive owned the domain name Hamlin.co.uk and it has been on our TAG BLUEROCK since registration in Sept 2006.
    Today Fasthosts.co.uk decided to register Hamlin.uk and send us an invoice for the privilege! We have never given permission for this and want to know if this has happened to anyone else. Surely a registrar cannot just register names in another companies name without prior authorisation.

    This really should not happen.
     
  2. Domain Forum

    Acorn Domains Elite Member

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  3. monaghan United Kingdom

    monaghan Well-Known Member

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    How did they manage to register the .uk? (or do you have another name with the identical contact details held at Fasthosts?)

    One for Nominet support I think, this is clearly in breach of the registrar agreement if they've registered in your name without your authorisation.
     
  4. accelerator United Kingdom

    accelerator Well-Known Member

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    Was the domain held at Fasthosts at one point by any chance?

    Rgds
     
  5. bluerock United Kingdom

    bluerock Well-Known Member

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    Its never been anywhere near fasthosts as Ive always had my own tag.
    This is really a serious loophole.
     
  6. invincible

    invincible Well-Known Member

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    I notice that the domain name hamlin.uk has now been suspended by Nominet.


    (from iPad - K)
     
  7. jasman United Kingdom

    jasman Active Member

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    This sounds like a fraud either by a third party or by an employee at Fasthosts. How could this possibly have happened by some computer error? Surely a human would have needed to instigate this. I'd definitely make a complaint to Nominet and demand an explanation from Fasthosts.

    I didn't realise it was possible to register a .uk via a different tag to the .co.uk. What is to stop someone registering a .uk of someone else's .co.uk at a different registrar in their account, then transferring the domain to their own name?

    If this sort of thing becomes more commonplace we might see the big registrars creating domains in other people's names, then letting them expire and keeping them for themselves.
     
  8. invincible

    invincible Well-Known Member

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    Unfortunately you thought wrong because it has always been possible to do so. Furthermore it's explained in detail, online by Nominet, how Nominet apparently confirm the acceptance from the registrant when a request is made by a different tag holder to register a .uk 2LD for that registrant.

    I don't see what this last bit has anything to do with the apparent issue identified by Bluerock. Have you spent too much time reading the Daily Mail today?:)

    (from iPad - K)
     
  9. invincible

    invincible Well-Known Member

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    Were all the email addresses associated with the 3LD up to date and not accessible by anyone else? I assume you have already been in contact with Nominet since the domain name has been suspended?

    (from iPad - K)
     
  10. bluerock United Kingdom

    bluerock Well-Known Member

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    It happened about 4.30pm and I emailed Nominet just after 5pm.

    Since then
    Ive received an automated email from Nominet stating:
    "Thank you for applying to register your domain name.
    The registrar you have registered this domain through is different to the registrar you have previously used. In order to complete this application we need to confirm that the email address provided is valid."

    Fasthosts took payment from someones Paypal acc that I dont know but my biggest issue is that it should not show up on the whois i.e. actually be registered till verification has been completed.
    If this is cancelled what could happen to the .uk rights?
     
  11. bluerock United Kingdom

    bluerock Well-Known Member

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    I actually thought it was a spam email until I looked at the whois.
     
  12. retired_member36

    retired_member36 Retired Member

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    In my eyes the domain would be publicly available? but i may be wrong
     
  13. bluerock United Kingdom

    bluerock Well-Known Member

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    Thats my fear.
     
  14. Murray

    Murray Well-Known Member

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    Nominet can reverse things so that it was never registered perhaps

    I've seen a domain drop, be freshly registered only to have it reverted back to the old registrant with the previous registration dates.
     
  15. invincible

    invincible Well-Known Member

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    I wonder if because fasthosts are an accredited channel partner, when an application is made to register a .uk 2LD and the 3LD with the associated Right is on a different tag, the domain name is registered and displayed as such within the WHOIS but is marked as suspended by Nominet until the click is received from the confirmation sent to the email address associated with the 3LD.




    (from iPhone)
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2014
  16. bluerock United Kingdom

    bluerock Well-Known Member

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    You might be right but surely it should not get past 1st base and show on a whois. The verification should happen pre registration not post.
     
  17. invincible

    invincible Well-Known Member

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  18. invincible

    invincible Well-Known Member

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    I'd have thought so as well because I don't recall seeing anything documented that it would function in this way. If there is a time limit on the link in the verification email being clicked, and you don't click it, perhaps the domain name will be deleted by Nominet automatically. I wouldn't worry about losing the Right since you didn't order or pay for it and you aren't going to be clicking the link. :)
     
  19. invincible

    invincible Well-Known Member

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    Refer to 2b on the third page within this document (and also 3c). Oh and see 4a as FASTHOSTS are an Accredited Channel Partner.
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2014
  20. bluerock United Kingdom

    bluerock Well-Known Member

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    The funny thing is the email from Nom states:

    "Please click the link below to confirm that this is your email address and that you have applied to register this domain."

    It doesn't state to "not confirm" or say yes/no so you have a fear of clicking and it automatically endorses the request.
     
  21. invincible

    invincible Well-Known Member

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    Just don't click. :) However might be sensible if they also included a link you could click to say you didn't apply to request the domain name.
     
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