Epik, We have a problem. Domain removed from account without permission.

[bmugford]

I am sure as many of you are aware I have had issues with Epik in the past, but decided to give them a chance when I saw a domain I wanted on Name Liquidate.

I purchased the domain PianoMoving.com on 7/20. It was transferred into my account then.
This was the only domain in my account.

It was in my WHOIS information.
I updated the nameservers.

When I just checked it is magically no longer in my account.
The nameservers were changed.
I received zero contact about the domain being moved.

I have all the receipts -

1.) The purchase/renewal from Epik.
2.) The Paypal charge.
3.) Email of when the domain was moved into my account @ Epik.
4.) Email when the nameservers were updated in early August @ Epik.

I don't see any indication that the domain was removed from my account.
On top of zero communication, there also appears to be nothing under "Outgoing Pushes" or "Task History".

I sent a DM to @Rob Monster about this earlier this morning, but have not received a response yet.

I was just notified I received a refund. I don't want a refund.

I want the domain I won, that was in my account, which I had full control over.
It was removed from my account without permission or even notification.

I do not find this acceptable in any way.

@Epik.com, you have some explaining to do.

Brad

 

[redemo]

I purchased the domain via an "all sales are final" venue. It was transferred to my account.
It was in my WHOIS information.

I was the legal registrant, for a month. The legal registrant is the domain owner.

I am not interested in any passive-aggressive settlement offer that includes me being accused of making "defamatory" statements and acting in "bad faith". That offer is actually what is bad faith.

Brad

I have used companies in the past who gave me poor customer service and I simply left. But, with greatest respect mate, you haven't answered my question do you currently legally own the domain name? It's very important that you are clear about where you stand legally. I would be fighting to get my domain back. That would be the best message you could send to everyone, that domain names can't simply be taken out of people's accounts. Big companies rarely expect this. If you're not going to fight for your domain name, what exactly do you want mate?

 

[Future Sensors]

One question regarding ownership that has not been answered by @Braden Pollock yet, is whether the LTO installments for PianoMoving.com have been paid in full by Rigoberto Guillen.

Braden, appreciate it if you don't skip this important question.

 

[bmugford]

I have used companies in the past who gave me poor customer service and I simply left. But, with greatest respect mate, you haven't answered my question do you currently legally own the domain name?

The entire premise of this thread is that Epik removed the domain from my account without authorization and transferred ownership to another party.

I am no longer the registrant as the domain was taken from my account without permission, after a month.

I am still deciding on what course of action I want to take.

I will likely start with an ICANN complaint though, so I can receive a formal response about what actually happened.

Brad

 

[Keith]

I purchased the domain via an "all sales are final" venue. It was transferred to my account.
It was in my WHOIS information.

I was the legal registrant, for a month. The legal registrant is the domain owner.

I am not interested in any passive-aggressive settlement offer that includes me being accused of making "defamatory" statements and acting in "bad faith". That offer is actually what is bad faith.

Brad

Epik should refund the $12k to the current owner and move the domain to Brad. That’s my opinion.

All registrars should have strict rules to adhere to. They should never be able to yank a domain from a customer account because it’s not the registrars property!

I’d sue just to prove a point.

 

[Future Sensors]

Epik should refund the $12k to the current owner

Thanks to the mess, we're still figuring out who the current owner may be.

 

[bmugford]

Epik should refund the $12k to the current owner and move the domain to Brad. That’s my opinion.

All registrars should have strict rules to adhere to. They should never be able to yank a domain from a customer account because it’s not the registrars property!

Yes, any "error" or "mistake" seems to involve the lack of renewal of the domain. The lack of renewal is the incompetence of whatever party was responsible for it.

The domain was legitimately purchased, transferred, and owned for a month.

I don't think the average person would have been allowed to claw back the domain, a month later.

Brad

 

[Keith]

Yes, any "error" or "mistake" seems to involve the lack of renewal of the domain. The lack of renewal is the incompetence of whatever party was responsible for it.

The domain was legitimately purchased, transferred, and owned for a month.

I don't think the average person would have been allowed to claw back the domain, a month later.

Brad

If escrow.com failed to renew on a payment plan it would have to reverse all payments. Epik has overstepped its bounds here and that shouldn’t be allowed.

@Rob Monster can you tell us why you feel you have the right to invade customer accounts to steal domains? Escrow.com, which offers a similar service, couldn’t do that…

We’ve already seen you not follow your own company rules for expired, backordered domains. Reason you gave then - special rules for 1% of customers. I guess Braden is the 1% here?

 

[bmugford]

If escrow.com failed to renew on a payment plan it would have to reverse all payments. Epik has overstepped its bounds here and that shouldn’t be allowed.

I agree, and they were only able to do it because they had access to do it. They did it without explanation or notice.

Whatever happened regarding the renewal is not my problem. Someone dropped the ball, and they need to take responsibility.

I purchased the domain legitimately. End of story.

Now I am the one being accused of acting in bad faith by @Rob Monster. It is bizarro world.

Brad

 

[bmugford]

@Rob Monster can you tell us why you feel you have the right to invade customer accounts to steal domains? Escrow.com, which offers a similar service, couldn’t do that…

Removing the domain is an issue, as is no notification or explanation for it.
I can also find no record of the domain moving in my account.

Epik deserves no credit for giving a refund, after I am the one who caught the domain missing a couple weeks later.

When was I ever going to get notified or refunded otherwise?

Brad

 

[Future Sensors]

Epik deserves no credit for giving a refund, after I am the one who caught the domain missing a couple weeks later.

You were actually pretty clear in your first posting, saying:

"I was just notified I received a refund. I don't want a refund."

 

[Keith]

Let’s remind people of what happened with mobilewallet.com and how 99% of customers would’ve lost it to my BO but the special 1% was given special privileges…

Jessica (Epik) Aug 17, 12:21 PDT Keith, Thank you for supplying some history here. While the rep you spoke to supplied valid information for 99% such cases, we (Epik) have a few clients that have an extended grace renewal time. The domain owner in this case has a longer grace renewal period therefore that is why that 16 day delivery did not apply here.

 

[bmugford]

Let’s remind people of what happened with mobilewallet.com and how 99% of customers would’ve lost it to my BO but the special 1% was given special privileges…

Well, that is rather problematic. It just confirms some receive special treatment that is outside the norm.

Brad

 

[bmugford]

You were actually pretty clear in your first posting, saying:

"I was just notified I received a refund. I don't want a refund."

Yes, my preference is that the domain I legitimately purchased be returned to my account.

Whoever dropped the ball on the renewal, it is not my problem. They can take responsibility for their incompetence.

Brad

 

[Keith]

What does @jberryhill think of this?

 

[Laguna]

This is just the latest dodgy goings on at epik. I've been reading all the shenanigans for the last 3 years. Why on earth anyone would want to list their names there is beyond me

 

[Recons.Com]

It was the manual aspect of this transaction that caused the mishap. For various reasons, auction wins are reversed all the time. It’s annoying but, unfortunately, fairly common. The issue here isn’t so much the reversal (mistakes happen) but the failure to reach out to Brad with an explanation. Obviously, I can’t speak to this as I wasn’t involved but I assume (and hope) that Epik has addressed this internally.
At the end of the day, while annoying for all parties (my self included), luckily there was no damage done.

How do you define damage?

What if the name was bought for a ready to go project and $1 million in advertising, print, merchandising etc. spent?

And then, oops, Epik comes and takes away the name without notice.

This is ABSOLUTELY unacceptable. I am amazed that even after this incident Epik still presented itself as the Swiss Bank for domains at their Namescon event.

 

[Keith]

How do you define damage?

What if the name was bought for a ready to go project and $1 million in advertising, print, merchandising etc. spent?

And then, oops, Epik comes and takes away the name without notice.

Exactly.

When will industry leading lawyers hold registrars accountable? @jberryhill

It’s not a simple case of, oops I forgot to renew.

 

[carob]

For various reasons, auction wins are reversed all the time.

Are you saying this happens in general, or specifically at Epik?

 

[carob]

At the end of the day, while annoying for all parties (my self included), luckily there was no damage done.

Would you be concerned if damage to Epik's reputation caused loss of customer confidence and so business?

 

[bmugford]

Are you saying this happens in general, or specifically at Epik?

That's a valid point.

I am not personally aware of too many, if any, cases where the registrar ripped a domain from the registrant's account after a month without authorization, notification, or an explanation.

I have owned 10,000+ domains over the years and used dozens, if not 100+ registrars and have never seen anything even close to this.

Brad