GoDaddy Auctions / NameFind.com Scam

GoWebnames.com · Dec 25, 2016

A small story of the GoDaddy/NameFind malpractices that scammed me out of a Closeout domain I won.

I bought a $5 Closeout domain (3DPrintFarm.com) at GoDaddy on Dec/17, it showed the status of domain in my account as "Expired Domain Ready on Dec/20/2016". The domain previously belonged to a LEO DEARDEN, just as he owned the NET/ORG versions as well. On Dec/22, I still didn't have the domain, so I checked the WHOIS which showed the domain transferred to NameFind.com (the domain agency of GoDaddy) at FastHost. It's obvious that NameFind just misappropriated a domain they liked, AFTER it was sold to me. I wrote to their support seeking explanation as to how a domain I won and paid for could end up with their domaining agency NameFind. They put in a standard reply "the domain is not with us blah blah and under the auctions conditions ....." but when I checked the domain WHOIS again, the WHOIS details were switched back to that LEO DEARDEN.

Now, today I get a Christmas mail from Santa Claus (the Godaddy system) that 3DPrintFarm.com has been deleted from my account. So, I have 3 questions for all to reflect on:

1) How the domain WHOIS showed the details of NameFind when it was won and paid for by me?
2) Why they changed back the WHOIS details to that of LEO DEARDEN when I protested?
3) Why does the Godaddy mail now says that it was deleted from my account?

@Joe Styler , what do you have to say?

Maybe my understanding is not much but, as far as I can guess, it's a case of an attempted misappropriation of an already won domain by NameFind.com (a GoDaddy agency). Has something of this sort happened with you as well?

Joe Styler · Jan 17, 2017

Do you have the domain name? You can PM me if you don't want to share it publicly.

LucidDomains · Feb 1, 2017

Please tell me the update on this domain. @Keith @Joe Styler

Thanks.

Keith · Feb 1, 2017

LucidDomains said:
Please tell me the update on this domain. @Keith @Joe Styler

Thanks.

Apparently it was auctioned by godaddy but the domain was expired under a different registrar. Because it was at a different registrar there is a different process at the end of the auction. In this case, the domain is immediately renewed at the end of the auction and held by namefind for several days. It then moves to the winning bidder.

Here's where this process loses me - why does it ever go to namefind? If it's immediately renewed, why wouldn't the domain go directly to the winning bidder? Normally the domains stay expired after auctions because the current owner can recover until the 42nd day. But if it's renewed immediately after auction then namefind shouldn't need to hold it for 5-7 days imo.

LucidDomains · Feb 1, 2017

I won an expired domain on GD. It is also located at another registrar.

I too, am concerned that the registrant info switched over to NameFind.

However your post and Joe's earlier lengthy post suggests that this is normal and the domain will be switched over to me in a few days. Is that right?

Keith · Feb 1, 2017

LucidDomains said:
I won an expired domain on GD. It is also located at another registrar.

I too, am concerned that the registrant info switched over to NameFind.

However your post and Joe's earlier lengthy post suggests that this is normal and the domain will be switched over to me in a few days. Is that right?

Yes, it sounds like it will move to you after the holding period.

domeen · Feb 1, 2017

LucidDomains said:
I won an expired domain on GD. It is also located at another registrar.

I too, am concerned that the registrant info switched over to NameFind.

However your post and Joe's earlier lengthy post suggests that this is normal and the domain will be switched over to me in a few days. Is that right?

Looks like they use namefind whois for transferig between regiatars

LucidDomains · Feb 1, 2017

Thank you both.

I suggested to Paul Nicks it might be an idea to instead change to GoDaddy Redemption Services instead of using of the NameFind account. It may prevent future confusion with others.

Just an idea.

Joe Styler · Feb 2, 2017

LucidDomains said:
Thank you both.

I suggested to Paul Nicks it might be an idea to instead change to GoDaddy Redemption Services instead of using of the NameFind account. It may prevent future confusion with others.

Just an idea.

It is something I have already brought up to our team as it is causing some confusion for people which we don't want. There is a project in place to change this so it will be less confusing if people look on the whois during the time the domain is changing accounts to the auction winner.

GoWebnames.com · Feb 11, 2017

VirtualRealityXXX.com: Another name at GD Expired auctions that I was watching and that was supposed to move to Closeouts on Jan 4 but when I checked on Jan 2, it was removed from auctions and its there in GoDaddy's NameFind account now:

https://in.auctions.godaddy.com/trpItemListing.aspx?domain=virtualrealityxxx.com

Keith · Feb 11, 2017

GoWebnames.com said:
VirtualRealityXXX.com: Another name at GD Expired auctions that I was watching and that was supposed to move to Closeouts on Jan 4 but when I checked on Jan 2, it was removed from auctions and its there in GoDaddy's NameFind account now:

https://in.auctions.godaddy.com/trpItemListing.aspx?domain=virtualrealityxxx.com

It must have ended with a winning bidder. Note that this domain isn't registered at godaddy. These types move to namefind Whois while being transferred to the winning bidders godaddy account.

GoWebnames.com · Feb 11, 2017

There were no bidders by Jan 2 when it was removed and the auction end date was Jan 4. So, how can someone just WIN it?

domeen · Feb 11, 2017

Someone was quicker then you at closeout!!! If someone buys it, it goes to namefind whois for transfer

Keith · Feb 11, 2017

GoWebnames.com said:
There were no bidders by Jan 2 when it was removed and the auction end date was Jan 4. So, how can someone just WIN it?

It was close out, yes?

GoWebnames.com · Feb 11, 2017

It didn't reach the closeout stage. Moreover, even after a month now, it still has NameFind stamp on it.

Keith · Feb 11, 2017

GoWebnames.com said:
It didn't reach the closeout stage. Moreover, even after a month now, it still has NameFind stamp on it.

I'm really losing faith in GoDaddy these days. I just bought a domain that is registered at godaddy and was listed there with a BIN. Then they told me it will be 15-20 days before I get it because it was listed thru a third party. Say what? It's registered with godaddy and I bought via a direct listing at GoDaddy!!!

GoWebnames.com · Feb 11, 2017

Keith said:
I'm really losing faith in GoDaddy these days. I just bought a domain that is registered at godaddy and was listed there with a BIN. Then they told me it will be 15-20 days before I get it because it was listed thru a third party. Say what? It's registered with godaddy and I bought via a direct listing at GoDaddy!!!

Feel sorry for you loss. Guess what, NameFind stole it from you!!

They sure have no qualms about stealing good domains listed with them and they don't give a shit as to what you think about it. If NameFind would like to buy an expiring domain, they must participate in the auction through a separate business entity rather than stealing it outright.

Keith · Feb 11, 2017

GoWebnames.com said:
Feel sorry for you loss. Guess what, NameFind stole it from you!!
They sure have no qualms about stealing good domains listed with them and they don't give a sh*t as to what you think about it. If NameFind would like to buy an expiring domain, they must participate in the auction through a separate business entity rather than stealing it outright.

I don't think they stole it from me but it makes no sense why they're holding for 15-20 days.

GoWebnames.com · Feb 11, 2017

Well, they may be in the process of stealing it from you. Hope you get it.
But they sure have a huge conflict of interest there, there are a few other names that I have noticed so.

cdboard · Feb 12, 2017

GoWebnames.com said:
It didn't reach the closeout stage.

are you sure it was an expired domain auction?

looks like expiration date was 1 Jan.
maybe it was a for-sale-listing that was removed when it expired.

Keith · Feb 12, 2017

GoWebnames.com said:
VirtualRealityXXX.com: Another name at GD Expired auctions that I was watching and that was supposed to move to Closeouts on Jan 4 but when I checked on Jan 2, it was removed from auctions and its there in GoDaddy's NameFind account now:

https://in.auctions.godaddy.com/trpItemListing.aspx?domain=virtualrealityxxx.com

Amazing that 1 day after your post the Whois updates to dropcatch. This is similar to a domain that was repossessed by GoDaddy. It was in repossessed status for months but guess what...2 days after I inquired with my godaddy rep, it magically updated to good standing.

GoWebnames.com · Feb 13, 2017

Keith said:
Amazing that 1 day after your post the Whois updates to dropcatch. This is similar to a domain that was repossessed by GoDaddy. It was in repossessed status for months but guess what...2 days after I inquired with my godaddy rep, it magically updated to good standing.

Obviously the GD rep on here must have asked his team to "fix" it. It's more than clear that it's a scam they (GD/Namefind) are running stealing good domains when they think nobody may notice. Huge conflict of interest there, unethical business practice. I hope someone from Medium.com / Enterpreneur.com covers this one day soon.

Joe Styler · Feb 13, 2017

Keith said:
I'm really losing faith in GoDaddy these days. I just bought a domain that is registered at godaddy and was listed there with a BIN. Then they told me it will be 15-20 days before I get it because it was listed thru a third party. Say what? It's registered with godaddy and I bought via a direct listing at GoDaddy!!!

Then it should be faster than that but it would still have to clear the funds, move to a holding account and get pushed to you.

Joe Styler · Feb 13, 2017

GoWebnames.com said:
Obviously the GD rep on here must have asked his team to "fix" it. It's more than clear that it's a scam they (GD/Namefind) are running stealing good domains when they think nobody may notice. Huge conflict of interest there, unethical business practice. I hope someone from Medium.com / Enterpreneur.com covers this one day soon.

I rarely check namepros on the weekend unless someone reaches out to me about it for help. I didnt check this weekend so no one did anything to move the domain to/from namefind. We do not take names from customers or ones they bid on. There is a project that has been released partially to address this as the WHOIS is causing alot of confusion for people. If the name is won on a auction it will hit a holding account in many cases before being moved to a buyer. That holding account WHOIS says namefind which causes confusion before it moves to the winner of the auction. We are getting the WHOIS updated to be more clear and show that it is in fact moving and not staying at NameFind. We have partner companies we work with so that the WHOIS will show the correct info no matter what company the name happens to be coming from. Remember we auction domains that are registered with many different companies not just GoDaddy so it is not as simple as us just updating our own WHOIS. With the volume of names that sell on the auction as well it needs to be automated which requires a little bit extra work but we are pretty close to having it work across all partners. At the end of the day though we do not take names from people who bid on them on the auction - End of Story.

Keith · Feb 13, 2017

Joe Styler said:
Then it should be faster than that but it would still have to clear the funds, move to a holding account and get pushed to you.

I paid with a debit card and there shouldn't be any need for a holding account. It's registered at godaddy, was listed at godaddy, and purchased at GoDaddy.

There have been 3-4 weird occurrences lately. Never had any issues prior to the last few months...

Joe Styler · Feb 13, 2017

Even though I am sure your payment is fine we still check it. Part of our process is ensuring that the seller gets their money so when we say it is good from that point on it is and we eat the loss if it's not so we check all the payments carefully.
If the seller has the name registered at GoDaddy that doesn't mean they listed it for sale with us. Suppose say they listed it with Afternic which then feeds the listings to GoDaddy they may not have an account with GoDaddy set up to be paid, so they are going to be paid via Afternic. Afternic has to get the ok that the money we collected is good and then get the name pushed to their holding account and then send it to you to accept. As I said it probably won't take that long but they like to quote the longest just in case everything takes a longer time, the payment requires extra inspection, the seller doesn't move the name right away to our holding account etc.
We have some plans to further streamline the process coming this year which will speed things up and make them easier but in the meantime this is a normal timeframe that they would quote anyone.

GoDaddy Auctions / NameFind.com Scam

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