EPIK 2.0 What I'm asking for going forward...Pages Take

[Page Howe]

ok so after this EPIK LLC letter, i started reading posts , then STOPPED, NEW THREAD and ill take a contrary view to most.. maybe im just an optimist.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/th...m-via-masterbucks-wallet.1284050/post-8933371

Ive not lost as much as others, and i cant begin to know how to fix the past, but the intro letter is about as good as i can hope for.


The not terrible news, in my opinion, is that EPIK:

1. didnt go bankrupt
2. didnt take all renewals to $39.99
3 didnt pull a registryfly and leave .com customers with fake renewals (although i dont know when verisign stopped being paid)
4 old management is gone
5. names always worked, accounts were accessible.

and i think many people would have told you was 100% sure epik would somehow just disappear, lock the doors and we'd all be out domains.

the unknown news - masterbucks people, and im not sure its covered yet what happens to them

THE BAD NEWS - at certain registries, most notably Godaddy and i fault them for this - we lost .co .tv and .us domains and the registry seems to be saying thats between you and the registrar - and i say baloney. - especially if godaddy expired auctions sold the names. The registry waived redemption fees during the lockdowns, so i know its possible and they cant say against the rules.

And ICANN should have something in place where a registry (who always says they dont deal with customers) cuts off a registrar - the registrants dont suffer, escrow the renewal funds, do something but the INDUSTRY should learn form this and have a solution when a registrar cant pay.- since most registrars work on low margin - MOST OF WHAT WE WERE PAYING GOES TO THE REGISTRY -
so they shoudl eb able to do this.

BUT IM ALL ABOUT NOW and moving forward.

so moving forward, EPIK II

1. for names with godaddy registrar .co, .tv and .us that said they were renewed but were not, can the new OWNERS work with the registry and ICANN (who missed the boat) to avoid redemption fees and let customer have their renewals done for the year paid for.

2. if not, will you at least refund the money the current cash in epik should reflect liabilities for names where money was taken and no renewal processed.

3. even if the worse news, names gone, can you help provide an accounting of what renewals didnt take place, we have to know to decide to rebuy, pay redemption and TO KEEP NAME FROM GOING TO EXPIRED NAME AUCTIONS.

4. on that note i think EPIK should stop selling customer names in expired name auctions at snap/godaddy etc so customers at least have the full grasce period and redemption rights, or can registrar after they go through pending delete. - much like everyone did in the pandemic.

Page

 

[bmugford]

The not terrible news, in my opinion, is that EPIK:

1. didnt go bankrupt

Right now there is merely an asset transfer agreement.

Epik.com is still under ICANN breach and they have far more issues they need to address other than simply paying ICANN and other vendor debts.

3 didnt pull a registryfly and leave .com customers with fake renewals (although i dont know when verisign stopped being paid)

They have been taking payments for registrations and renewals and not applying them at a registry level for months. Check posts on NamePros, Twitter, TrustPilot, and many other places. Some domains have reportedly expired and been lost because of this.

These issues are referenced in the ICANN breach notice.

4 old management is gone

Yeah, that is certainly not clear whatsoever.

The actual executives and shareholders of the "new" company are not known.

Epik has spent the better part of a year scamming customers and telling lies.

As far as this asset transfer goes, (new) Epik has attempted to move the assets from (old) Epik into some week old Wyoming LLC.

At the the same time they intentionally left liabilities like Masterbucks behind. Those customers are the ones who are going to get screwed over.

There is an entire trail of victims that need to be made whole.

For instance @Kathleen Kalaf who was scammed out of $91K by Epik Escrow in late September 2022.

The new owner is already playing dumb on this debt, despite Epik CEO Brian Royce acknowledging it.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1665130598850084879

(New) Epik also apparently showed up on NamePros, only to make a very inconsiderate and condescending post. It did not go well.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/th...terbucks-wallet.1284050/page-299#post-8933371

Brad

 

[NameInbox]

Epik should be able to continue servicing domain name renewals, but for now all is on pause
https://www.namepros.com/threads/epik-domain-renew.1303561
https://www.namepros.com/threads/big-trouble-epik-com.1303477
https://lowendtalk/discussion/18527...me-renewal-days-ago-domains-not-being-renewed

 

[Page Howe]

well said, and of course i respect you wisdom quite a bit. and everything you say is 100% right. Victims should be restored and treated fairly.

however is there a way to seperate out a perfect fix to every single thing they have done wrong, with some things that can be done which effect hundreds of thousands of names.

you can tell i have names at EPIK. im sure others do. realistically not everyone had the funds to transfer our and pay renewals before the time due. so i and others have been the waiters and the watchers. im hoping to get into the registry issues to get names back in good standing.

Right now there is merely an asset transfer agreement.

Epik.com is still under ICANN breach and they have far more issues they need to address other than simply paying ICANN and other vendor debts.


They have been taking payments for registrations and renewals and not applying them at a registry level for months. Check posts on NamePros, Twitter, TrustPilot, and many other places. Some domains have reportedly expired and been lost because of this.

These issues are referenced in the ICANN breach notice.


Yeah, that is certainly not clear whatsoever.

The actual executives and shareholders of the "new" company are not known.

Epik has spent the better part of a year scamming customers and telling lies.

As far as this asset transfer goes, (new) Epik has attempted to move the assets from (old) Epik into some week old Wyoming LLC.

At the the same time they intentionally left liabilities like Masterbucks behind. Those customers are the ones who are going to get screwed over.

There is an entire trail of victims that need to be made whole.

For instance @Kathleen Kalaf who was scammed out of $91K by Epik Escrow in late September 2022.

The new owner is already playing dumb on this debt, despite Epik CEO Brian Royce acknowledging it.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1665130598850084879

(New) Epik also apparently showed up on NamePros, only to make a very inconsiderate and condescending post. It did not go well.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/th...terbucks-wallet.1284050/page-299#post-8933371

Brad

good points, but no surprise, i think youve been on this from the jump. Page

 

[Page Howe]

yes, and i say the Registry CANT JUST WALK AWAY, even if they hate EPIK.

Freeze auctioning of expired domains, let them go to the registry, let EPIK confirm the original owners and pass through the regular fee, as i say they did it in the lockdown.

this is like saying becuase the waiter left with what i paid for the check, i dont get my food.

Page

 

[bmugford]

well said, and of course i respect you wisdom quite a bit. and everything you say is 100% right. Victims should be restored and treated fairly.

however is there a way to seperate out a perfect fix to every single thing they have done wrong, with some things that can be done which effect hundreds of thousands of names.

you can tell i have names at EPIK. im sure others do. realistically not everyone had the funds to transfer our and pay renewals before the time due. so i and others have been the waiters and the watchers. im hoping to get into the registry issues to get names back in good standing.

good points, but no surprise, i think youve been on this from the jump. Page

I would prefer not to see any victims.

However, in this situation that doesn't seem possible.

Epik pushed much of their debts to customers into Masterbucks, then blocked the ability to withdraw the funds. It was then specifically excluded from the asset transfer.

In cases like Kathleen it was forced involuntarily. She signed up for what she thought was a normal escrow transaction, only to receive worthless Masterbucks.

Domain Empire alone reported he was owed $1.5M, though I have no status update on that.

There are many current known debts in the tens of thousand range like @Igor Gabrielan, who is owed more that $55K.

Also, if you read that "Epik LLC" post I linked to, the new "owners" don't seem to have respect for the community or Epik's victims.

Brad

 

[bmugford]

well said, and of course i respect you wisdom quite a bit. and everything you say is 100% right. Victims should be restored and treated fairly.

however is there a way to seperate out a perfect fix to every single thing they have done wrong, with some things that can be done which effect hundreds of thousands of names.

you can tell i have names at EPIK. im sure others do. realistically not everyone had the funds to transfer our and pay renewals before the time due. so i and others have been the waiters and the watchers. im hoping to get into the registry issues to get names back in good standing.

No one wants to see a RegistryFly situation, but if it happens it is an outcome of Epik's own making.

For instance in the RICO lawsuit, Epik admitted -

1.) Epik Escrow received a $327,000 escrow payment (May 2022) from the buyer.
2.) The domain transfer did not happen.
3.) The money was not refunded.
4.) They still owed the buyer a refund (a year later).

It could be a potential disaster scenario when it comes to domain ownership, involving WHOIS privacy. Sometimes you have no idea what is behind it.

If I had domains at Epik, with the current level of uncertainty, I would remove privacy. It would make ownership much easier to unwind (if needed).

If to continue operations Epik needs to leave customers holding the bag when it comes to their mismanagement, that is not acceptable.

Brad

 

[johnn]

I would not suggest Epik II or III to anyone now since we don't know the future. Why play with fire.
What we know now is not to use Epik or move away from them.
I never had any name with them.

 

[Page Howe]

sounds about right and everyone should DYOR, im already in so i dont have the option ..

 

[GoKaizen]

'Same as the old boss’: Customers of far-right web host Epik think company sale is a ploy to avoid paying them back​

https://www.dailydot.com/debug/epik-sale-complaints-debts-rob-monster/

 

[private123]

epik destroyed domainer's life .. currently no option domain renew and transfer out. (expired domains)

 

[private123]

I send 100+message epik support but not received any reply.

 

[NameInbox]

I send 100+message epik support but not received any reply.

Send more, if each of us will send same number?
They will have a need to start EPIK 3.0