warning Domain name(s) registered to you are restricted by ICANN and were mistakenly made available

[loano1]

Today I received the following email from Alpnames:

We have been notified by the operator of the .LOAN registry that certain domain name(s) registered to you are restricted by ICANN and that they were mistakenly made available for registration by the registry. As these domain names are restricted for regulatory reasons, the registry regrettably requires that we delete these registrations in the next 24 to 48 hours.

The name they talk about is a great .loan domain that has been registered by me half a year ago. Seriously? Has someone ever experienced the same? Are they stealing my domain? What can I do?

 

[platey]

Sorry for the confusion, I meant it's a "great/excellent/awesome" .loan domain name. Unfortunately, they did not add privacy (meanwhile, I purchased it 2 times) but I will reveal the name if they really take it from me.

Either way I'd send them back their $15 and go straight for The big dollop of compensation because someone somewhere it would seem has made a mistake and didn't realise the value of the domain and or possible financial restrictions eg can only be owned by a loan company etc like. Food if I remember rightly can only be owned by a food business? Or words to that effect

But it would appear you are being fobbed off

Just sue for whatever it goes on to sell for which is the financial value you will have lost and the financial value they will have taken from you

$15 is pathetic offer

Some big cheese in the loan industry may have made a decent offer for it

Stranger things have happened

 

[AlpNames]

All,

First, I would like to acknowledge that this situation is regrettable. Second, I would like to stress that this is not a situation of AlpNames's making - AlpNames has responded to a registry compliance request, as it is contractually obliged to do.

As far as we are aware, the name in question will NOT be made available for registration to another party. It is a restricted domain name that, for whatever reason, was mistakenly made available for registration.

The former registrant was informed that he would receive a full refund of any and all charges associated with his registration and upkeep of the domain. In addition, the registry asked us to provide further compensation, on their behalf, as a goodwill gesture for any inconvenience caused.

While far from ideal for all concerned, I trust that the above explains the situation.

 

[JoeE]

Confusingly enough, it already was a premium name at Alpnames and I paid a premium fee. Same for same others .loans I purchased there. Now I started to move them to another registrar and whoops, they will be all transferred at a normal rate.

Ok then, that makes it even better that it was a premium, which means the registry knew about it and purposely selected to sell it at a higher rate (it didn't merely slip through by mistake) which puts the responsibility on them not you. If it does transfer to another registrar then that's good too. Hopefully, it will be the end of this ugly/weird episode. Keep us updated.

 

[JoeE]

As far as we are aware, the name in question will NOT be made available for registration to another party. It is a restricted domain name that, for whatever reason, was mistakenly made available for registration.

If the decision is final and the domain will be taken back. then care to reveal what the name is?
Also, is the domain reserved at the ICANN level which would be understandable to all (but needs to be verified), If it was a premium that was missed by the registry and sold at a cheaper price than what they NOW think it's worth, then that is immoral and may be criminal too and he can and should fight it.

 

[AlpNames]

If the decision is final and the domain will be taken back. then care to reveal what the name is?

The former registrant has requested that we do not reveal what the name was, but he has said that he is happy for us to provide responses in this thread.

The .LOAN registry has informed us that the name in question must be reserved pursuant to its Public Interest Commitments for the TLD. Specifically, its undertaking to include all second level domains within the .INT zone within its reserved list. This is not a standard ICANN requirement.

It seems that the domain name would have been automatically priced as a premium, due to its characteristics.

 

[platey]

Basically a premium domain name has been sold for reg fee

And someone prior to registrant has just realised that they left quite a few $$$$$'s on the table

Which is a problem but not the registrants problem

And legal redress would quite likely cost the organisation responsible for the (mistake) considerable compensation to compensate registrant's substantial financial loss

 

[HotKey]

Restricted names from ICANN are to be publicly available so that registrants may cross-reference for validity. So, if not on these lists:
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/reserved-2013-07-08-en
as the OP stated he checked, then, where, exactly are these "restricted" names found?

As registries and registrars, as well as ICANN, you better get your act together. These sorts of errors are despicable, and completely avoidable. You can't just go ripping domain registrations from your customers.

These actions produce negative consequences on your reputation, and on the nTLD industry in general. It creates mistrust and unease. Errors should be repaired in the registrants favor, eg. as someone else mentioned, a grandfathered plan.

 

[AlpNames]

Basically a premium domain name has been sold for reg fee

And someone prior to registrant has just realised that they left quite a few $$$$$'s on the table

Which is a problem but not the registrants problem

And legal redress would quite likely cost the organisation responsible for the (mistake) considerable compensation to compensate registrant's substantial financial loss

I am afraid that that is not the case at all. The domain was sold as a premium but, actually, should not have been available for sale at all.

 

[loano1]

The .LOAN registry has informed us that the name in question must be reserved pursuant to its Public Interest Commitments for the TLD

Hm, my domain is not included in their commitments: https://www.icann.org/sites/default/files/tlds/loan/loan-agmt-pdf-20nov14-en.pdf (SCHEDULE OF RESERVED NAMES, Page 66) and also not here https://www.icann.org/sites/default/files/packages/reserved-names/ReservedNames.xml
To whom has this commitment been made?

 

[AlpNames]

Restricted names from ICANN are to be publicly available so that registrants may cross-reference for validity. So, if not on these lists:
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/reserved-2013-07-08-en
as the OP stated he checked, then, where, exactly are these "restricted" names found?

Please see my earlier post above, the restrictions are publicly available.

As registries and registrars, as well as ICANN, you better get your act together.

Unfortunately, these things reflect badly on the registrar as, ultimately, it is us registrars that registrants have a relationship with. However, we do not pick and choose what domain names are for sale, availability is dictated by the registry.

Contractually, we are obliged to comply with any registry's compliance requests. Ultimately, the registry could opt to take unilateral action and cut us out entirely.

 

[AlpNames]

Hm, my domain is not included in their commitments: https://www.icann.org/sites/default/files/tlds/loan/loan-agmt-pdf-20nov14-en.pdf (SCHEDULE OF RESERVED NAMES, Page 66) and also not here https://www.icann.org/sites/default/files/packages/reserved-names/ReservedNames.xml
To whom has this commitment been made?

As explained above, the registry made a commitment to ICANN to reserve the domain name you registered and not to make it available for registration (as a string that existed in the second level .INT zone) - a link to the relevant Public Interest Commitments was included in my post.

 

[platey]

Basically

A mistake has happened

But was not the registrants fault

Common sense approach

Registrant keeps domain they registered

Whoever issued the domain that now allegedly should not have issued the domain learns a very expensive lesson

The alternative could be a very expensive compensation claim

But its only a matter of time before they snatch a domain name from a competent lawyers domain name portfolio lol

As they may get taught an even more expensive lesson being held by the short and curlerys for their mistake

They won't forget that in a hurry

If you've issued a domain for reg fee and later realised it's worth a fortune

The law of the land is (tough xxxx)

 

[loano1]

a link to the relevant Public Interest Commitments was included in my post.

Sorry, your link does not work

 

[AlpNames]

I note that the link in my earlier post is broken, due to ICANN using an auto download mechanism...if you click the below link, you will receive the Public Interest Commitment Specification for the .LOAN TLD:

https://gtldresult.icann.org/applicationstatus/applicationdetails:downloadpicposting/1205?t:ac=1205

 

[platey]

As explained above, the registry made a commitment to ICANN to reserve the domain name you registered and not to make it available for registration (as a string that existed in the second level .INT zone) - a link to the relevant Public Interest Commitments was included in my post.

The easy solution

Give registrant a LL. COM

Because having read the posts so far

Registrant can't lose if they take this matter further

And allegedly icann has asked for the registrant to be compensated further

Any court would enforce it

A gift of a LLL. Com minimum to registrant

 

[platey]

A similar case happened when an item was obviously not checked and vetted but obviously it had to have been made available to purchase via a said website

Not domain related but similar in that very very basic checks were overlooked and something that should or should not have been issued was lol and let's just say the excuses started to flow

Had domain been reserved there would be no possible way registrant could have registered the domain

 

[loano1]

Although my identity will become public, the name we are all talking about is "edu.loan".
I still do not understand why "edu" is suddenly a problem for the .loan registry because the string is not on any ICANN list and around half of all new tlds allow "edu.()".

 

[platey]

It's a lot like trying to get horse back in stable after horse has bolted

Its a bit like telling the rider of a horse in a race who is about to go across the winning line to receive winning prize not to cross the winning line and return to the stable and then say we know we stopped you winning first prize but here's $15 lol let's forget about it lol

Yeah right

 

[loano1]

Another failed registry. Did you try to contact the registry and seek a clarification?

According to your signature, you also own an edu. domain. Perhaps you should take care of it...

 

[AlpNames]

While this should really be for the registry to explain, I will try my best to do so...

Upon applying to run the .LOAN TLD, the registry operator represented to ICANN, as part of its Public Interest Commitments, that it would seek to further protect IGO (intergovernmental organisation) names by widening its reserve list to include ALL second level names registered in the .INT zone. This would include "EDU", as EDU.INT is a registered IGO domain name.

This is not a commitment that applies to all TLDs, nor is it considered part of ICANN's "standard" list of prohibited domain names. That being said, the registry still has a legal obligation to ICANN to ensure that all such domain names are excluded from the DNS.

 

[HotKey]

Words like "edu" or "gov" and there's others, should have been blocked from the get-go, as there are many other extensions which they are not allowed if the string is run by U.S company. It is not Alpnames mandate, it indeed would be ICANN. But it is registry/registrars responsibilty to do their due diligence before they even release the TLD for availablity.

ICANN's should prove these keywords on a public list. I would get in touch with them. You could ask for clarification:
[email protected]

 

[platey]

Although my identity will become public, the name we are all talking about is "edu.loan".
I still do not understand why "edu" is suddenly a problem for the .loan registry because the string is not on any ICANN list and around half of all new tlds allow "edu.()".

Cheers for posting the domain as you didn't have to etc

Just had a quick look at. Edu in the big G and allegedly its a us uni tld

Is it trademarked by the state

Did the state request it not to be issued or. Loan

But I can see the concept behind the domain

Eg a website for students whereby a proportion of website ad $'s go to paying off student loans

 

[Mister Funsky]

the registry knew about it and purposely selected to sell it at a higher rate

Thus the compensation for the former 'domain owner' should be reflective of their gross error.

A great name...sorry this has happened to you. I had something similar in a dot com happen to me many years ago...all they offered was ten free registrations for their error (not nearly as big as their 'error' with your name). I took the regs (had no choice--issue was over) and moved about 300 names out of their system.

 

[JoeE]

So, Edu.loan would be reserved to protect Edu.Int. crazy that .Loan registry gave such a promise to ICANN many of the registered domains under .INT would NEVER be confused with SLD registered under the .Loan extension. So, it is clearly true that the registry promised that to ICANN and it is true that Edu.int is registered, but to come back after a whole year to notify the domain owner is absurd to say the least. It was a mistake a registry and I think they can exclude this one domain from their promised reservation since it could never be confused with Edu.int. I think ICANN may understand the legal ramifications and agree to exempt this one domain. And the registry can learn from their mistake.

 

[loano1]

This would include "EDU", as EDU.INT is a registered IGO domain name.

I've found a site called Edu.int with some badges looking official, even if they do not appear to be very well-known and not on the ICANN list https://www.icann.org/sites/default/files/packages/reserved-names/ReservedNames.xml. Will try to ask ICANN for clarification.