> Alert < GoDaddy not allowing transfer away for expired domains...

[pooky]

Anyone planning to transfer away their domains from GoDaddy after expiry, be warned.

I have domains at GoDaddy which are a couple of weeks into expiry. They have already changed the whois/admin to this:

Admin Organization: Go Daddy Redemption Services
Admin Street: 14455 N. Hayden Road, Suite 219
Admin City: Scottsdale
Admin State/Province: AZ
Admin Postal Code: 85260
Admin Country: United States
Admin Phone: +1.4805058877
Admin Email: [email protected]

Any transfer out attempts fail. I called them up - apparently renewal is the only option.
Is anyone else experiencing this?

 

[cdboard]

do you have the transfer code? is the domain unlocked?

 

[Name Trader]

What you see is normal. When in the control panel, go into Domains>Expired Domains, and grab the Auth Code and unlock them.

 

[pooky]

I have the transfer code, domains can locked/unlocked.

But the admin email now is [email protected], so the gaining registrar is unable to send confirmation to my original admin address.

Edit:
I called them up again and pointed this out from their own support site:
https://support.godaddy.com/help/article/5019/transferring-expired-domain-names

Transferring Expired Domain Names:
Most general top-level domain name extensions, gTLDs, like .com and .net have an 18-day grace period between expiration and redemption.

Their reply: A domain can go into their internal redemption at any time after expiry (even if their website says 18 days), and once it does, you cannot transfer it out, only renew.

That's it, I'm transferring all my domains out as soon as possible and closing the account.

 

[hookbox]

They change the Whois to prevent people from contacting the original owner of the domain and trying to buy it from them to avoid the auction process. They changed this a year or two ago. When you are in the expired domains panel and choose "email authorization" it will still use the original Whois to send the code to. I just checked a few of my expired domains and the Whois is Godaddy Redemption Services but my email comes up when choosing the Email Authorization Tab.

They will allow you to renew the domain up to day 18 after expiration and if you are a premier account holder up to day 25 after expiration. You can transfer the domain out up to day 41 after expiration.

 

[Name Trader]

@pooky - if you have the authcode and the domains are unlocked. You are good to go to transfer them out. I wouldn't wait another second.

 

[discobull]

Anyone planning to transfer away their domains from GoDaddy after expiry, be warned.

I have domains at GoDaddy which are a couple of weeks into expiry. They have already changed the whois/admin to this:

Admin Organization: Go Daddy Redemption Services
Admin Street: 14455 N. Hayden Road, Suite 219
Admin City: Scottsdale
Admin State/Province: AZ
Admin Postal Code: 85260
Admin Country: United States
Admin Phone: +1.4805058877
Admin Email: support AT godaddy dot com

Any transfer out attempts fail. I called them up - apparently renewal is the only option.
Is anyone else experiencing this?

They've been operating this way for quite a while, but when you put in the transfer request it still gets forwarded to your email address. I just transferred out a domain today that was 5 weeks past expiry and there was no issue whatsoever. I didn't need to call anyone to put it through even though the whois record had the support email address just like what you show above.

 

[pooky]

@hookbox - What you have mentioned is the common wisdom regarding GoDaddy expired domains.
In fact, I transferred about 10 (most of them a few days expired) domains out of GoDaddy a few days ago - a couple of them got stuck, that's when I realised there was this problem.

I have even received a refund for an expiring domain auction I won recently because the owner transferred it out around day 40. So I know for sure that expired domain transfers are allowed till around that time.

@stub - The registrar I'm transferring out to is not Hover, but I have taken a screenshot to better illustrate the issue. I have the auth code, domain is unlocked - but the transfer approval is not being sent to my admin email.

 

[carob]

I have the auth code, domain is unlocked - but the transfer approval is not being sent to my admin email.

OK so Godaddy is deliberately blocking the transfer by blocking your WHOIS registrant email, ie replacing it with theirs and not forwarding to you any emails it receives.

I think registrars are not supposed to block transfers out - check this out to complain to ICANN https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/transfer/form
It says:

In the event that a Transfer Contact listed in the Whois has not confirmed their request to transfer with the Registrar of Record and the Registrar of Record has not explicitly denied the transfer request, the default action will be that the Registrar of Record must allow the transfer to proceed.

More info:
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/policy-2012-03-07-en

https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/foa-conf-2004-07-12-en
Does that mean that receiving registrars that require you to confirm are adding an optional step, which allows Godaddy to block you?

Maybe the receiving registrar can amend what they send so it just says "this will proceed unless you object".

 

[Name Trader]

I can't help you because I don't have any expired domains to test this theory out. But this is all theory you are telling us. What did the actual registrar tell you when you put in a transfer request at that registrar? Speed is of the essence here. It appears you are hung up on the theory, rather than the practicality of an actual transfer. Again what did your transferring registrar tell you after you paid for the transfer. Please quote their email, so we can read it.

 

[pooky]

@stub This is not theory, a couple of domains are actually stuck.

As you know, any transfer initiated at most registrars require three steps:
Domain is unlocked
Auth code is available
Privacy is disabled so that the admin address is visible

The registrar I'm transferring to has sent a mail asking for approval of transfer to the admin - and that admin address now happens to be [email protected] - so the transfer is going nowhere.

By the way, the GoDaddy support person I was talking to was claiming that the transfer of any domain after it crosses (even a day) into expiry can be rejected by them.
Again when I pointed out the earlier link to them regarding the 18-day limit, they had no answer.

@carob:
Does that mean that receiving registrars that require you to confirm are adding an optional step, which allows Godaddy to block you?
Most registrars communicate to the current admin email in some way or the other to complete the transfer process.
You are correct - GoDaddy is blocking the transfer by 'masking' the real admin email.

 

[carob]

@stub
Most registrars communicate to the current admin email in some way or the other to complete the transfer process.

Yes they have to send an email, but requiring you to reply in some way (eg click a link in the email) may be optional.

So if the receiving registrar just sends an email saying "This will transfer unless you object" and not requiring any action, when GD ignores that email your transfer proceeds.

Have you asked the receiving registrar if they can modify the email they send or just override it? Makes business sense for them to get transfers from GD.

Also you need to create a paper trail - talking on the phone to GD they can just lie to you all day long.

 

[pooky]

The receiving registrar is Directnic. I'm not sure they will comply with such a request because anyone with malicious intent could claim that the admin address 'under the hood' is really theirs and not [email protected]. I'll try anyway, since I do have the auth code.

Do you have any registrar in mind which does the 'transfer unless objection' thing?
Hover, as displayed above, requires approval from admin at the initial stage.

As for paper trail, I would have preferred one - GoDaddy only gives phone support here in India.
The domain illiteracy of their support people never ceases to shock me - another one of their gems is that transfers-out are not allowed for 60 days after renewal of a domain.

Basically my choices are:
Pay their renewal fee.
Complain to ICANN, but there's not much encouraging feedback on this board regarding complaints to them - during which time the domains might go into the $80 redemption fee period.

I posted this issue here so that others who regularly transfer out domains after expiration can plan ahead.

 

[carob]

Do you have any registrar in mind which does the 'transfer unless objection' thing?

No, but if anyone does, please tell us since people do want to transfer out names under these circumstances.

Have you tried emailing [email protected]? What if someone wanted to contact the registrant about some really vital issue? Telling them the site was down, or a legal issue?

Even if you do renew at GD, I would still make the ICANN complaint to clarify this stuff.

Have a look also at this other thread https://www.namepros.com/threads/good-alternatives-to-godaddy-please.835643/ - they may have to give an India business address and contact details.

 

[pooky]

I sent a mail regarding some other issue to [email protected] a while back, only to get some auto-reply that this mail is not monitored and that I should contact phone support.

I have a sneaking suspicion that they're trying this (the transfer-renewal thing) out as an experiment, first on Indian users - they've kept us out of most of their cheapest coupons for a long time.
What worries me most is that they're ignoring their own rules, who knows when they decide to change something else at will...

I have already reached out to Uniregistry for bulk transfer discounts - I'm moving all domains out as soon as I can.

 

[carob]

I sent a mail regarding some other issue to [email protected] a while back, only to get some auto-reply that this mail is not monitored and that I should contact phone support.

Hi that is also reported on a blogpost about GD here
http://www.clicknowmarketing.com/domains/godaddy-ends-email-support/

They show the response here http://www.clicknowmarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/nomoregdemail.png

Bizarre - and very, very supicious - when an internet company refuses to communicate in writing.

 

[pooky]

Without a ticket system or email there is no paper trail - this is a path to really serious problems and makes you feel pretty unsafe being a GD customer.
(from the other thread) @carob, you are spot on there.

This, together with the general illiteracy on domain issues by their support personnel, is a dangerous combination. Every time I ask if two-factor authentication is available for Indian users, they don't even know what that is.

 

[Name Trader]

So you haven't actually tried to transfer a domain out? You cannot actually start making these complaints until it has happened to you. Otherwise it's just speculation. May I ask why you chose DirectNIC to transfer your domains too. They don't actually have a stellar reputation.

 

[pooky]

@stub, Please read the entire thread before your 'theory' or 'speculation' comments.

I have transferred out about 10 - 2 are still pending transfer because of this issue.

As for Directnic, at this point, I would rate them higher than GoDaddy - what is your cite regarding their reputation or lack thereof?

 

[gblasting]

Moniker uses the "this domain will transfer unless you object" method. The transfer request that a buyer made for one of my domains from Moniker came with those words and they gave me four days to object.

 

[carob]

So you haven't actually tried to transfer a domain out?

You asked if OP has tried to transfer domains out - answer is yes and two are not transferring because of this prob - see OP's post https://www.namepros.com/threads/al...away-for-expired-domains.835782/#post-4714597

This is concerning - if you have an expired domain there that gets a lot of bids in the GD auction you can get it back by transferring it, which you are entitled to do - so GD should not obstruct your whois contact emails.

 

[pooky]

I didn't need to call anyone to put it through even though the whois record had the support email address just like what you show above.

What was the receiving registrar?

@carob
The domains I'm referring to were just 10-12 days after expiry when this happened. I have transferred domains which were 30 days expired, just a month ago, so this is a new phenomenon.

And since discobull has just transferred out a 5 week expired domain, assuming he's not from India, makes me believe that GoDaddy is trying this out on Indian customers first.

 

[discobull]

What was the receiving registrar?

The receiving registrar was Name.

 

[pooky]

Tried to transfer to Name.com. It's stuck at 'Pending your approval', and wants me to click on a link sent to [email protected].

 

[discobull]

Tried to transfer to Name.com. It's stuck at 'Pending your approval', and wants me to click on a link sent to godaddy.

I just now transferred out an additional 2 domains to Name. One expired on 9/27, and the other on 9/29. The transfers went through without issue. I'm not sure why you're experiencing a problem but I'd be inclined to think that it was more likely to be due a glitch specific to those 2 domains as opposed to a policy change. I may be wrong about that, but it seems to me that if they wanted to prevent you from transferring the domains that the most logical thing to do would be for Godaddy to not allow you to generate a transfer code, and to instead issue a message stating that a transfer is not possible once the domain is expired. I also just looked up Godaddy's FAQ and I'm finding that they have detailed instructions on how to transfer out an expired domain.

I'm not sure what to suggest. Good luck resolving your problem.