Domain Stolen from GoDaddy Account? (Update: Sold through my GoDaddy Premium Listing)

[Josh R]

Fellow members,

Today I woke up to an email from GoDaddy saying that one of my domains had been canceled. I thought this was very strange because I just renewed it on January 12th.

I immediately checked my account and it was completely gone.

I proceeded to call GoDaddy, who essentially didn't have a clue what was going on and said there were ZERO notes in the system that would suggest it had changed accounts. They asked me to forward them the cancellation notice, which I did.
I checked the whois, and it's at GoDaddy still, but now under privacy.

I told them it seems clear to me that the domain has been stolen despite having two-factor authentication.

I was told that all communication needed to be conducted via email in order to create a paper trace. So we proceeded through email.

An hour or so later, I received a call from one of the GoDaddy reps telling me that my domain had been sold through Afternic but there were no further details available. This was interesting, because the domain had no Buy It Now price on my Afternic account AND I hadn't received any emails from Afternic about an offer. The domain is actually still listed on afternic with no price, but the ability to make an offer. (I just checked my afternic account).

Anyway, the rep tells me to call afternic, so that's exactly what I do. I get on a long hold for 35 minutes, only to get a rep on the phone that tells me afternic is not open on the weekends and nobody can help me until Monday. He can't even confirm if they have sold it.

Now, what I don't understand is how Afternic have managed to remove my domain from my GoDaddy account without my consent and How GoDaddy are not able to put it back?

Essentially my domain has been stolen, but from GoDaddy/Afternic...
I'm extremely frustrated at this point, and really have no clue what's going on. How can afternic first of all sell a domain that wasn't for sale? and secondly, how can they then remove it from my GoDaddy account overnight without any kind of warning or consent?

This is worrying and I think that I'll have to move all of my domains out of GoDaddy after this experience.


Update: At this GoDaddy can't do anything and I need to wait until someone is available during business hours at Afternic... (despite the fact that GoDaddy owns afternic)

 

[Soofi]

@Joe Styler

 

[TERADOMAIN]

@TheLegendaryJP please help if you can. You are very helpful and very knowledgeable about hot to get back stolen names.

Thanks

 

[TheLegendaryJP]

This is quite a serious case because it involves two factor being by passed and an after market company. I would be very shocked if someone got past your two factor and or managed a trade on Afternic from your account without you knowing.

Are you positive you renewed it?
Do you have a receipt of renewal?
Was a credit card used and later declined or reversed? (It happens believe me).

I have no doubt come Monday you will find out exactly what has happened, keep us posted.

 

[Wannabean]

This sounds eerily similar to another case from a few months back where a domain was sold from another users afternic account and taken out of the current registrants godaddy account. i can't remember the exact details but maybe someone else can? Was about 6 months ago....

 

[usernamex]

This may be the prior owner had it listed at afternic and was sold with fast transfer, yet GD should have been able to see that case

Is this possibly what happened?
https://www.namepros.com/threads/godaddy-domain-stolen.986743/

@Wannabean - took me a minute to find it too

 

[Wannabean]

This may be the prior owner had it listed at afternic and was sold with fast transfer, yet GD should have been able to see that case

Is this possibly what happened?
https://www.namepros.com/threads/godaddy-domain-stolen.986743/

@Wannabean - took me a minute to find it too

Yeah thats the one. Only two months ago...wow time is dragging for me. Good luck @Axorees

 

[TheLegendaryJP]

You would think GD had a way to identify the selling account is not linked to the GD account. Nor should any aftermarket allow a instant purchase to remove a domain from an account without either notification of such action and or a way to stop it.

 

[Josh R]

This may be the prior owner had it listed at afternic and was sold with fast transfer, yet GD should have been able to see that case

Is this possibly what happened?
https://www.namepros.com/threads/godaddy-domain-stolen.986743/

@Wannabean - took me a minute to find it too

It looks like this might have happened. @Joe Styler also said in that thread that it should never happen again though.

The most frustrating thing is how Afternic/Godaddy have literally just removed it from my account without consent.

Do I essentially not have rights to my domains? Am I unaware of some kind of consent giving GoDaddy the ability to just transfer out my domains?

If Afternic did indeed sell my name I don't know how it occurred... there is 100% no sale through my Afternic account.

 

[usernamex]

That thread will take a bit to read and digest so TL:DR - good news - at least you likely will not lose the domain, bad news - may take a while to sort out

Still frustrating and shocking @Axorees at least maybe your case will be solved faster, hoping there is fast resolution for ya
PS keep in mind everyone is at NamesCon this week

 

[wwwweb]

Yes, this is my worst fear also, as many of afternic's listings are in old accounts who have sold them, and we know domains get around. So with the fast transfer process, if the two emails don't link up, they should not let the transfer proceed.

This is part of that fast track purchase where the domain instantly transfers account. Where is the domain now?

Why would afternic be closed weekend, so many small businesses, and other people have downtime during the weekend, you almost want to have frontline staff closing deals?

I wouldn't worry about losing the domain, Godaddy will make it right, it couldn't have gone far.

 

[Kate]

And if the domain sold at Afternic, where is the money ? Are they going to disburse funds to the holder of an outdated listing at Afternic ?

 

[Josh R]

And if the domain sold at Afternic, where is the money ? Are they going to disburse funds to the holder of an outdated listing at Afternic ?

My thoughts exactly.

Something as sensitive as this is not something that can be handled on a weekend?... quite shocking.

 

[hookbox]

Fast transfers occur without two factor authentication so this is why you were not alerted.

If OP had it listed at Afternic then the sale should be credited to his account. I have never seen two listings for the same name at Afternic or anywhere else for that matter.

A while back I thought a name was stolen out of my GD account , but after speaking with my rep at GD we came to discover the name sold. I missed the email but welcomed the $2,500.

 

[wwwweb]

If the domain sold, just go to domaintools, and type it in, it should have the price or link still active if it was a sale within the past 24 hours. Who knows you might like the price, but most likely not if it is in an old account.

 

[Wannabean]

You would think GD had a way to identify the selling account is not linked to the GD account. Nor should any aftermarket allow a instant purchase to remove a domain from an account without either notification of such action and or a way to stop it.

You would think. I can forgive it once, there were bound to be teething problems but twice suggests human error. It wouldn't surprise me if after a sale there is a manual verification process that's gone awry again.

 

[Josh R]

If the domain sold, just go to domaintools, and type it in, it should have the price or link still active if it was a sale within the past 24 hours. Who knows you might like the price, but most likely not if it is in an old account.

The only sale info I can find on the name was from 2011 when it sold for $500. That was prior to me owning it.

If it has in fact sold through Afternic, I'm very worried as to who got the money, and I'm also pretty sure I wouldn't be happy with the price. Would love to know more though and I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow.

In the meantime I have no name in my account and whoever has control of the domain now, has instantly used privacy.

 

[CdotFU]

It honestly baffles me at how something like this could happen. A publicly listed company like Godaddy has the financial capabilities to ensure their staff is well equipped to close loopholes and tighten security, as part of their ongoing range of products/services they gain through acquisitions. You'd think they'd beta certain functions, or simply not enable certain features until they have closed any potential threats to their customers. That's the problem with so much growth in a short period of time...management and their strategies are often ill prepared.

I'm new to domaining but I've learned that Goddady is my last option in registration services. Unfortunately I still have 60+ domains with these clowns, and I want to transfer as fast as their system will allow me.

Good luck with your endeavor in regaining your domain name. Please keep us informed.

 

[wwwweb]

It honestly baffles me at how something like this could happen. A publicly listed company like Godaddy has the financial capabilities to ensure their staff is well equipped to close loopholes and tighten security, as part of their ongoing range of products/services they gain through acquisitions. You'd think they'd beta certain functions, or simply not enable certain features until they have closed any potential threats to their customers. That's the problem with so much growth in a short period of time...management and their strategies are often ill prepared.

I'm new to domaining but I've learned that Goddady is my last option in registration services. Unfortunately I still have 60+ domains with these clowns, and I want to transfer as fast as their system will allow me.

Good luck with your endeavor in regaining your domain name. Please keep us informed.

Your jumping the gun, yes godaddy is publicly traded, and it is to bad this happend, but they do make things right.

They will address, the situation, and make sure this person is taken care of. Most likely being the weekend the executive staff was not in office, but I am sure come Monday morning, it will be a priority for them.

If used effectively Godaddy is a great tool, especially for a new domainer for their low renewals, and aftermarket options. They handle millions of transactions a year, these things happen, and will happen again, just focus on how they make it right before you spend all your time transferring out.

 

[CdotFU]

Your jumping the gun, yes godaddy is publicly traded, and it is to bad this happend, but they do make things right.

I understand what you're saying, but the fact remains that this shouldn't happen in the first place, period. considering the deep pockets of this public company, it's even more so in their case.

I also find that their prices for renewals aren't reasonably priced. At least not from what one of my partner has shown me, nor my own due diligence in seeking other options. My personal opinion is that it's a highly overrated option.

That said, their marketing budget has been put to good use and has delivered a ton of followers.