CAUTION - Stay away from Pheenix.com

[JudgeMind]

PHEENIX.COM

I want to bring to light an issue I have been dealing with and hopefully it will save some others here headaches down the road.

A few month ago I was having trouble receiving authorization codes for two domains I had sold on a brand marketplace. I was not receiving the authorization codes to transfer the domain names to their new owners nor was I receiving any emails or support from phoenix.com. I had to go public with my issue to get it resolved. I have been trying to transfer my 63 domains out of pheenix ever since this has happened but I'm not getting any support.

Now, i have sold another name and again i am unable to retrieve transfer auth codes and am getting no support from pheenix. The domain name was sold at afternic almost a week ago, i sent multiple emails to the owner of pheenix and to pheenix support with no resolve. I even hunted down Mr. Tran on Linkedin who informed me he had nothing to do with Pheenix anymore.... So what the heck is going on then? Is the site just running on auto pilot and accumulating issues daily? They have zero support.

I want/need to be able to transfer all of my domains away from pheenix especially the domain I've most recently sold via afternic. Now afternic is threatening to cancel the transaction if the authorization code is not supplied to them soon.

The last message i sent pheenix was informing them i will be taking legal action against their company if i do not receive assistance in a timely manner. It is illegal for them to hold domain names and not allow domain owners full access of their property.

I am certain many others here have had issues with pheenix as well. It is getting worse.

How can this business be allowed to stay functioning in this manner?

Here are the methods I've used to try to contact pheenix support.

Tan Tran - Linked in
I managed to message Tan Tran on linked in and the reply I received was :

Guess its not the same Tan Tran?

phone numbers:
1 800.777.LOVE (5683) - not in service
+1 888.872.4988 - not in service


Emails:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

The listed owner is also a member of namepros: @gorilla_bob and also owns freshdrop.com. I messaged Gorilla_bob and did not receive a reply.

pheenix.kayako.com/tickets - No Reply, its been multiple days!

Ticket: #78854


WHAT DO I NEED?

I need each name listed in my account unlocked and the AUTH codes sent to me.

Further details of Pheenix as lister on their website:

 

[Lox]

year and a half ago phoenix had an XSS vulnerability / architectural security. They had 2 options; fix the problem ($) or close injection port/s (¢). I guess the second option was in the game.

 

[JB Lions]

Just logged in after months/years and noticed I still had a balance from pre-funding. So I'm guessing that's gone as well.

I just got that back today:

From my PayPal account:
NOV26
Pheenix, Inc.Money Received

From email:
Your withdrawal has been processed.

Have a great day!

Warm Regards,

Your Friends at Pheenix

this email - support at pheenix.com

 

[Rob Monster]

Hey Rob, good to see you helping out folks. I think they took over the registrations from those registrars, not the registrars themselves, right? I believe the registrars were de-accredited.

I believe that is correct. However, inventory on IANA 888 stayed with Pheenix.

 

[pb]

Well I stopped using them after they arbitrarily changed the prices on my active backorders without any notification. I paid the price for the domain but stopped using them. Which is why I missed on all that got pulled in the meanwhile. But I got my funds back, so there's that.

 

[wrolie]

https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/transfer/form

 

[JB Lions]

Hope it works out somehow.

Just logged in after months/years and noticed I still had a balance from pre-funding. So I'm guessing that's gone as well. Also, noticed FreshDrop is still working. Is that something that can work on auto-pilot/programming or is somebody still working on that.

Have any bloggers jumped on this? Don't remember seeing anything.

 

[JudgeMind]

Hope it works out somehow.

Just logged in after months/years and noticed I still had a balance from pre-funding. So I'm guessing that's gone as well. Also, noticed FreshDrop is still working. Is that something that can work on auto-pilot/programming or is somebody still working on that.

Have any bloggers jumped on this? Don't remember seeing anything.

Fresh drop was down a month ago. Now it seems to be working again

 

[Lox]

From https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/irvine/profile/web-hosting/pheenix-inc-1126-172010672/complaints

There was a lot of deep holes related to security. It's not hard to believe that a hacker/s could take over your account or modify y Whois (mask it), asking deposit in coins etc. IMO

 

[Rob Monster]

I just got that back today:

From my PayPal account:
NOV26
Pheenix, Inc.Money Received

From email:
Your withdrawal has been processed.

Have a great day!

Warm Regards,

Your Friends at Pheenix

this email - support at pheenix.com

I guess they found this thread and decided to clear their inbox.

 

[Rob Monster]

1. 
   i might suggest biggest issues may be with names at the pheenix sub or captive registrars, especially if they been sold or new owners.
   
   its possible some older names went to encirca?
   
   i was able to do a transfer in one day yesterday, got code, started, got approval.
   
   page howe

Encirca took over 49 registrars. The one they did not take was IANA 888. That was the problem case here. Looks like the logjam is clearing.

 

[Frank Michlick]

Got word from the CEO of Encirca this morning. They took over 49 dropcatching registrars. Pheenix.com IANA 888 was not acquired. So, it is Tan. So, find Tan, and I bet you find your auth codes. ICANN involved.

Hey Rob, good to see you helping out folks. I think they took over the registrations from those registrars, not the registrars themselves, right? I believe the registrars were de-accredited.

 

[FRE3]

On 11/27 I requested my $29 balance which was required to do backorders, a ticket was created, then I added a reminder to the ticket on 12/4. Still no reply from Pheenix or PayPal credit. I wonder how many people have experienced that.

I have the same issue going on.

 

[Rob Monster]

I have a couple of domains and a balance with them as well at registrar IANA ID: 888.

@Rob Monster care to advise here buddy?

Thanks!

PM me details and will see what can be done. Why anyone renews there at this point is a mystery to me, but yet we know that Tan still runs that operation -- IANA 888 is still his property. We are in the market for a second accreditation and would offer to acquire it. Unfortunately, I have yet to get Tan on a phone call for that discussion.

 

[pb]

Do they even allow you to withdraw money?

Deposited $29 to be verified, despite warnings, see no “withdraw”? What happened Pheenix?

Apparently I had some leftover funds at phoenix, I filed a ticket asking that they refund them to my PayPal and got the refund after two weeks (on Feb 17).

 

[pb]

I've come to acceptance, i lost my $29.

I have no clue why this company continues to operate, just thankful it was only $29

I had $30 and some cents

 

[pb]

How??

As I wrote in my first post. I opened a ticket and got the pp two weeks later.

 

[wrolie]

guys

i need to transfer out my domain from pheenix.com . but no one answer me .

what can i do ?

i was request transfer out more than 1000 time from my control panel , but every time get same msg from Website : Domains have been scheduled for Transfer Out: ********.com and nothing happens else .

any advice ?

Check your email and spam inbox for your auth code. I was able to transfer my names out , except for a .biz domain where they only sent me invalid auth codes. I filed a complaint with ICANN and theY accepted it. Suggest you do the same if your auth codes fail.

 

[zolmat]

I got mine in 10 min, but it took a while to realize it went to spam. Are you checking email of domain registrant and pheenix email?

tnx again

but still nothing . i checking every day my inbox , spam , junk folder ,but Nothing .

pheenix.com , not respond .

i m really despondent .

 

[wwwulff]

Guys please help me

You have to make a complaint to ICANN using the link from @wrolie

https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/transfer/form

 

[Mr. Deleted]

RE: Complaint - Issues with my website/domain name [ ref:_00D616tJk._5004Mcvg6B:ref ]

ICANN Global Support Center globalsupport @icann.org via srs.emailowl.com
Mon, Sep 7, 1:58 AM (1 day ago)

to joe@ slabaugh.com

Dear Joseph Slabaugh,

Greetings from the ICANN Global Support.

I am sorry for the troubles, and rest assure that I will put my best efforts to provide you helpful information on transferring your domain name from Pheenix, Inc.

If you have problems transferring your domain and your registrar did not assist you appropriately, you may submit the Transfer Complaint Form at: https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/transfer/form to ICANN's Contractual Compliance Team. Please allow 3-5 business days for the Compliance Team to review and reply to your submitted complaint.

If you would like to transfer your domain to another registrar, you would need to request your current registrar to provide an Auth-Code and unlock your domain. The Auth-Code is to be given to your new registrar to initiate the transfer process.

For your convenience, I am including their contact information below:
Pheenix, Inc. (United States)
http://www.pheenix.com
Tel: +1 8888724988
Email: tan@ pheenix.com

If you are unable to create your own Auth-Code through your control panel, you should contact your registrar to obtain an Auth-Code. Your registrar is required to provide you with an Auth-Code within five calendar days of your request.

Information on Auth-Code
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/auth-2013-05-03-en

Domain Transfer FAQs
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/name-holder-faqs-2017-10-10-en

I hope you found this information helpful.

If there's anything else I can help address, please do let me know. Otherwise, this case will be closed.

Kind regards,

Gözde Aydın
Analyst, Global Support
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)


--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: Clicktools Alert [noreply@ clicktools.com]
Sent: 9/5/2020 11:51 AM
To: globalsupport @icann.org
Subject: Complaint - Issues with my website/domain name

Name: Joseph Slabaugh

Email: joe@ slabaugh.com

Company: Wally Woods LLC

Type: Issues with my website/domain name

Description
I need to access my domain name PAVLOC.com but the registrar is down. Please help me get this domain name moved to another company like Epik or NameSilo. Thanks

 

[FavourB]

These is too bad And painful,

63 domains is a huge investment,

ICANN is the final hope I guess.

 

[Samer]

I'm pretty sure that's Tan Tran himself based on past interactions/posts, the badges he has. Maybe, NP staff can verify.

But you can see from Gorilla Bob's past posts, he signs them off as Tan Tran:

"Thanks.

Tan Tran"

https://www.namepros.com/threads/whats-wrong-with-pheenix.874466/#post-4971405

The thread you linked was from 2015;

there more, check the most recent post, 2016, threaten file Pheenix grievance with ICANN (!!)

If thats not foreshadowing.. i dont know what is

Where are you, @gorilla_bob?

 

[JudgeMind]

Pheenix is a mess they keep auctioning off customers names in an infinite loop, names seen in accounts are assigned to other accounts, and vice versa. It’s a mess, I don’t know how I got my names out of there, but when the last one was out I was relieved, but that was many months ago.


The money is still going somewhere, basically this thing is going under, and they are going to squeeze everything they can out of it.

lucky you were able to retrieve your auth codes. Some folks I know are still getting auth codes but in some cases the auth codes are faulty.. I simply just don’t receive them.

 

[FavourB]

still no response from phoenix of any kind. My attorney was notified yesterday of this issue and will contacting the BBB and the state of CA to find the personal contact info of Mr. Tran.

I feel your pain

I think you need to explain to Afternic so the can elongate the pending deal for you

 

[Page Howe]

1. 
   i might suggest biggest issues may be with names at the pheenix sub or captive registrars, especially if they been sold or new owners.
   
   its possible some older names went to encirca?
   
   i was able to do a transfer in one day yesterday, got code, started, got approval.
   
   page howe