GoDaddy just Shocked Me.. Again. Stupid me?

Godaddy never shocks me anymore,

@Joe Styler

I think they're crooked and COMPLETELY and illegally control sales. All about their saturated "featured domains," which is useless on a 7 day auction...by the way.

any info on the domain itself that you can share?

waterman said:

hence I had to "create a new account" which I did.. using my real name and address etc.

Click to expand...

Did you then initially create an account with a fake name and/or address, or at least one not matching what's on your payment information?

forge said:

Did you then initially create an account with a fake name and/or address, or at least one not matching what's on your payment information?

Click to expand...

No. Call support suggested that it was flagged because I used my realinfo, while my real info already existed on another account.

Sounds like GoDaddy maybe has a problem that involves somehow accessing an existing account to steal the info, and then use it to make a new fraudulent account?

Should not be my headache.... but now it is.

OF COURSE the cc info I entered may not have been the correct billing address the first time... that happens alot in the real world. But I expect it to REJECT and allow me to do better. And since this transaction went through to receipt and confrmation emailed to me, I assume the cc was right.

The worst part is that GoDaddy is a domain industry business, so it knows how offensive taking-sold-domains-back-into-secret-portfolio-land is to domainers.

And since I know Joe Styler and even bought him beer in Valencia, this hurts even more ;-(

(I private messaged him before posting here... not helpful.)

Grego85 said:

any info on the domain itself that you can share?

Click to expand...

Not sure what matters... not a valuable domain. It was $40 but as we know, every doman is unique and when the spotlight shines on one, values change.

This kind of experience makes me wonder if people who work at GoDaddy honestly believe that every customer is a solo individual buying a domain to make a new website... at his home computer with his one credit card, one land-line phone number, and one address, able to promptly answer a callback with the Infamous GoDaddy Sales Call Spam showing on the CallerID (I blocked it loooong ago).. or else they must be thieves?

Or are GoDaddy people just stupid? Willfully ignorant?

It's a serious question...

"hmm.. this order just came in. Looks suspcious to me... they had to re-enter the billing address. I better call them to make sure..."

Make sure of what, exactly?

Anyone know what really happens in there? Is it simply a clown fire drill? or maybe so-much-fraud they can't operate?

I'm pissed about the domain.... so I'm curious how bad it is over there.

I live in the real world :

• most of my phone numbers are now "ip phones" and MANY companies simply refuse to send txts to those numbers. I have 2 cellphones already -- I'm not getting any more.

• I use a separate mailing address for my credit cards, which is not the same as the physical address they still REQUIRE for a credit card. Because... I don't get my mail at my residence. ALL THE TIME the backend systems people screw that up...., suddenly causing charges to bounce (again), so I have to call (again) and remind them I have 2 addresses on file, and they need to make sure my mailing address verifies). Am I the only person in the world who uses a mailing address on his credit cards?

• this very website (namepros) argued vehemently once that using a VPN was fraudulent, and a bannable offense, because he had to protect his users. I have no idea if that's still the case.

Seriously, what century do other people live in?

Do your fraud protection but don't be an idiot about it. What I am highlighting is not unusual.

And then I look at how they add $19 for a year of renewal, and how they used to add on expensive "privacy", and all those must-opt-out extra charges.... and maybe... maybe their customer are really stupid, and that causes them to assume every customer is either really stupid or... dangerous?

I don't know the details obviously of what caused this issue, you didn't share the domain either etc and obviously I don't work at GD.

There are some extensions like .us that require ID's.

Regardless, recently there was a list of registrars that are home to many of the domains used in fraud (phishing, stolen items) and godaddy ranked very low.

GoDaddy is a public company now. They have to take even more steps to protect themselves from predatory stock manipulators and shareholder lawsuits not to mention be in the best compliance possible with the SEC.

If you sell online you will be a target of fraud. People on forums complain about Amazon requiring ID's and copies of a credit card statement to approve an account. Registrars are major targets and if they leave things unchecked they get bombarded with legal information requests or worse.

I think it's important to see the point of view of the merchant as well and not to take it as a personal attack against you.

Companies by default want to make things easier for the buyer, they only start adding extra layers after they get hurt a lot. One well known registrar only recently changed their login system to something more modern after a ton of theft was associated with that registrar. I saw one person complain that the new security system of that registrar is too much, seriously!

waterman said:

Just bought a domain on GoDaddy... and after they processed the charges and issued the receipt, they sent an email DEMANDING that I

1. upload a scan of both sides of my government issued ID card
2. tell them why I bought it & how I intend to use it
3. some other nonsense tyranny crap

Their re-write of our purchase contract after-the-fact includes "informing me" that I have 48 hours to comply, or I do not get the domain.

Call support confirmed nobody can deal with these "verification Nazis" and I will not get the domain unless I fuly comply with the terms.

He also told me most of you people do just that... uploading your scanned IDs into some online database somewhere, after the Nazis tell you it's safer that way.

He also told me that after I don't comply, the name goes into a "mock redemption" system...which I can only assume is as clear and reliable as their expired domain redemtion system.

Wow.... just wow.

For those who wonder.... their "enter the verification code we just sent you" times out after 10 minutes, and the other day none of their codes were showing up in under 10 minutes.... hence I had to "create a new account" which I did.. using my real name and address etc.

Click to expand...

I don't really have any idea what is going on here. The transaction was likely flagged for some reason, valid or not.

I think evoking "nazis", twice, in something as trivial as domain registration is over the top.

Brad

Obviously it was flagged. Obviously GoDaddy thinks it is protecting itself.

But at the expense of the customer... like a summary execution, if you know what that is.

Domainers trade in unique, illiquid assets. Awareness of the value in a domain, is the value of that domain. And it shifts quickly, and unpredictably.

Front running is a classic domaining scam.... wait until value is recognized, and then keep it.

I'm not saying that's what happened here... but I'm saying that accepting these behaviors from registrars is a mistake.

It's not "ok" to require a digital scan of a person's ID, to be stored somewhere, for no one knows how long, accessed and used for what purposes... and yet, if there was probably some reason to suspect something, then it's ok?

I get that may of you have given up all hpe of freedom and independence, but it's really gonna suck if you all let the exploiters do whatever they want.

Should GoDaddy explain itself? Give assurances for how personal information is going to beheld, and why, and for how long?

Not if no one requires them to. Baaaaa.

waterman said:

Should GoDaddy explain itself? Give assurances for how personal information is going to beheld, and why, and for how long?

Click to expand...

Sure. I am always hesitant to give out any personal information like that unless there is a very valid reason.

Brad

From what you have said above it sounds like you have created two accounts with your 'real information'.

Of course that will raise a red flag!

EDIT:
Sounds like anti-fraud procedures are working as they should.

Is this a cc country domain? If so then you may have no right to own it sounds like you're qualifing but need to offer your proof. Eg i cannot just register a business in eg Japan being an Australian.

CraigD said:

From what you have said above it sounds like you have created two accounts with your 'real information'.

Of course that will raise a red flag!

EDIT:
Sounds like anti-fraud procedures are working as they should.

Click to expand...

Ummm.... no?

I've been in this biz for 20 years.... they autocreated new accounts for YEARS when they tossed domains into them with registrar locks... I've had a dozen accounts with "my real name" etc.

The whole point of the post above... "what world do these [idiots] live in?" because it's not real.

Or maybe that's the whole point of being "woke" -- we old's coolers need to get with the "new world" and adjust. Or else. Because it's "better".

Or at least until today's idiots re-invent everything themselves, so they can have the trophies.

Seriously... how can you honestly suggest that having 2 accounts is a fraud flag? My God....

lock said:

Is this a cc country domain? If so then you may have no right to own it sounds like you're qualifing but need to offer your proof. Eg i cannot just register a business in eg Japan being an Australian.

Click to expand...

No it's a generic dot com.

Thread moved to "domain marketplace reviews" lol.... out of the spotlight. No surprise.

Best talking it out with GD than being upset in the NamePro's forum, doesn't help...if anything, it makes you more agitated. Hope you sort it out

Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

We see two types of topics here...

1. How dare they ask for id

2. How could they release a domain without proper checks or proper id.


I buy quite a few domains from godaddy and have even bought from Huge Domains facilitated by godaddy.
I have never had an issue past verification of my original account.

Mind you I had my payment details properly entered with a receiving bank account and a payment credit card.


Personally I would rather they do the due diligence because if not the outcome could be a lot worse.

Like I said, damned if they do and damned if they don't, so will always have topics like this.

MapleDots said:

Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

We see two types of topics here...

1. How dare they ask for id

2. How could they release a domain without proper checks or proper id.

....

Personally I would rather they do the due diligence because if not the outcome could be a lot worse.

Like I said, damned if they do and damned if they don't, so will always have topics like this.

Click to expand...

Slippery slope, but tilted HEAVILY in favor of GoDaddy, against the customer. Why is that? Why should that be accepted by the customer base?

Remember this is a $40 domain they offered after a domain availability check, as "available" and "buy it now". So I did... with a credit card.

That should be the end of it for me. The fraud risk is managed by the bank & cc clearance, with my end covered by consumer protections. There is no "worse outcome", *unless* GoDaddy doesn't have adequate provenance over what they are selling (is GoDaddy selling stolen goods?).

If GoDaddy has concerns that they may be selling stolen goods, and perhaps need to take a domain back, that is an issue for GoDaddy to handle on the SELL side... get ID from the seller of the stolen goods. Not by demanding a scan of governent ID from the buyer, with added "why did you buy it/what do you intend to use it for" nonsense.

Let's not get too liberal with accepting the "Nazi" tactics from poor old GoDaddy, suffering under risk of fraud with it's ecommerce store. This is the company that ran more dark patterns in its dozen-page checkout than any company I ever witnessed. This is the company that ROUTINELY phone called its customers saying there was a question with their account, when it was actually a cold sales call pitching upgrades.

Geesh.

So it seems I may have stumbled into another covert corruption behind the scenes at GoDaddy.

The domain name *may* be tagged by the dark program that GoDaddy participates in with LegitScript... the company that has executed take-downs of tens of thousands of domains allegedly involved in the allegedly-illicit online pharmacy trades (no trial, no opportunity for redress, just tyranny).

Allegedly, certain keywords are considered "risky" by LegitScript, and GoDaddy is one of the named co-conspirators in the domain actions.

No, this domain was not a pharmacy/pills/illegal/etc domain name, before you ask), but it could be used in areas that LegitScript thinks it regulates.. as well as other areas.

If GoDaddy has an internal policy of pushing any names that broad match whatever-LegitScript-claims-is-potentially-forbidden into "upload your ID and tell us what you intend to use it for, or you don't get it" then this is NEWS in the domain industry. Or should be.

Will the moderators move this thread back into a domain name industry discussion area, or continue to hide it here pretending it is a "review" of a domain marketplace?

waterman said:

Will the moderators move this thread back into a domain name industry discussion area, or continue to hide it here pretending it is a "review" of a domain marketplace?

Click to expand...

Once moved the topic will not show on the Popular this week section.
Np needs their sponsors, so they have two choices, delete the topics or hide them.

I guess someone has to pay the bills and nobody will advertise on a board that trashes them.

Again, damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Do I sound like I'm repeating myself

I am sorry to hijack the thread, but it seems somewhat on topic:

GoDaddy keeps getting worse and worse. Is this something happening at most domain purchase sites? Or are there better options? I'm getting really fed up with them.

Worse and worse in what way?