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prague7

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Ooer - this one's going to run for a while... :O

From DomainNameNews:
SnapNames User Name “Halvarez” Was Nelson Brady, VP of Engineering Bidding on Domain Names [Updated]
[Updated] According to a statement from Oversee.net’s SnapNames, an employee was found to have bid in 5% of their auctions since 2005 and in some cases arranged for a partial refund of the sales price after winning an auction. DNN also confirmed the bidder as Nelson Brady, the VP of Engineering. He was bidding under the username “halvarez”.

From Snapnames:
SnapNames User Name “Halvarez” Was Employee Bidding on Domain Names
To avoid any question about whether the company benefited from this conduct, SnapNames will offer a rebate to impacted customers, including 5.22% interest (the highest applicable federal rate during the affected time period), of the difference between the prices they paid in winning auctions, and the prices they would have paid had the employee not bid in the auctions. Impacted customers will be notified by SnapNames or its representative with instructions for the offer of a rebate.

SnapNames also has taken further action to ensure its policies regarding auctions are followed, and the company remains committed to taking whatever action is necessary to protect the integrity of its auction platform.

SnapNames deeply regrets this situation and is committed to addressing its customers’ needs quickly and fairly.

There's also a FAQ page at Snapnames
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Legal authorities can't order anyone to not talk about anything, it's that pesky 'freedom of speech' issue. Anyone that says this is LYING.

Don't take my word for this, but try from a lawyer:

12,000 Auctions, 8,900 Bidders and 350,000 Bids: We Conclude Halvarez Was The Only Shill Bidder At Snapnames | The Domains

Those of you familiar with what John B commented might know that case.

Oh, and I've seen enough crime documentaries to see how usually law enforcement or lawyers tell
their clients or witnesses not to talk pending case resolution. You just don't hear about it every other
day until, say, the case is unsealed for eventual public consumption.

In my past registrar life, I got involved in one such incident involving a domain name supposedly used
in some civil or criminal matter. We were "told" or "ordered" by local authorities not to talk about the
case to anyone until they finished it, though I never followed up on that as it was years ago.

Of course, I'm just speculating that's what's going on with Oversee and SnapNames. Why they won't
give more details than they currently have, only they know.

Unless maybe someone's able to do a Vulcan mind meld on any of them.
 
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From Ricksblog.com

"Investigation or Cover up?? Take our Poll
Morning Folks!

As I explained my opinion on yesterday’s post, we are either witnessing an investigation or a cover up. I am not sure which one but since not a single word has been spoken, I have to assume cover up but I am PRAYING that it is an investigation by the FBI. Short of that, imo, we are getting hosed and lied to and bullshitted by this wall of silence. Maybe MOST domainers are okay with that….I AM NOT!"

i am waiting for more info before settling. Snapnames and the Snapnames website are looking good...more auctions,more sales tools and more names available than ever before...

Snapnames Rocks its just an unfortunate bloody mess they are in!
 
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It's obviously a COVER UP! Nobody can believe Brady acted on his own, come on... the scale of the shill bidding he did shows that he was literally doing Snapnames' bidding. It's a damage control / PR operation contacting a fraction of the victims only - I have NOT been contacted even though I won two auctions and Halvarez bid in both of them. I contacted Snapnames about not being offered a rebate and they asked me to contact a firm called Rust Consulting that they say is handling the rebate... guess what? No reply at all from Rust Consulting, not even acknowledging the email.

Rust Consulting say on their website that they are "the leader in class action settlement administration". Very misleading, they don't work for the plaintiff but the defendant... Brady is only a scapegoat, and I wouldn't be surprised if Brady / Halvarez was being compensated for taking the blame for himself, very suspicious that Brady is not countersuing Snapnames, that would be the obvious move. So I think Brady is STILL working for Snapnames, this time taking the blame making the gullible believe that those thousands of shill biddings were his own and Snapnames didn't know. Yeah, sure.
 
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I'm not trying to divert the Halvarez thread (he placed 3rd in several of my auction wins, so no payout anyway), but I do have a Snapnames question. Could someone here explain the relationship Snapnames has to the various registrars of the domains they sell? Of the Snapnames purchases I have made since 2005, some early ones were Netsol.com registered (prior to Namejet), and others were Register.com.

However, many were from the most hole-in-wall registrars I had come across. Most seem to be set up with a basic front page only, and absolutely no frills.

No imputation of wrongdoing; I'm just curious. Thanks.
 
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I'm not trying to divert the Halvarez thread (he placed 3rd in several of my auction wins, so no payout anyway), but I do have a Snapnames question. Could someone here explain the relationship Snapnames has to the various registrars of the domains they sell? Of the Snapnames purchases I have made since 2005, some early ones were Netsol.com registered (prior to Namejet), and others were Register.com.

However, many were from the most hole-in-wall registrars I had come across. Most seem to be set up with a basic front page only, and absolutely no frills.

No imputation of wrongdoing; I'm just curious. Thanks.

Sounds like wrongdoing to me. Please provide more facts with links or screenshots.
 
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Could someone here explain the relationship Snapnames has to the various registrars of the domains they sell?

I assume you're referring to those SnapNames manages to catch when the domain name is about to
be released for registration. Basically they partner with as many registrars as they can, especially the
ones soley created to catch drops or those that'll become available soon after.

One drawback to this is SnapNames will "cede" control and access of the domain to the registrar who
caught it. However, I've seen cases (especially in DNF) where SnapNames intervened and helped its
"customer" eventually gain the domain they made an order for.

There's a few threads in DNF and other forums I visit where SnapNames had to cut off ties with some
of them for whatever reason. Unfortunately for those with registrars that are "uncooperative", there's
little to nothing they can do to "force" them to give the domains to the people who use them for that.

Short of suing in court, maybe. But even that isn't a guarantee, and it's costly.
 
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There's a DNF post about drop auctions back in 2005 where this bidder xinamesx is mentioned. However, I've never come across him/her in my Snapnames bidding.

"xinamesx" is an interesting bidder ID, it either has the words "names" in the middle or spelled backwards it's "xsemanix" (with "semani" being a proper name in several languages.

No conspiracy theories, it's just late at night here....

could be just xINAMESx )) x being just a symbol on both ends...
 
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All:

We're sending the following email to all SnapNames clients affected by the "halvarez" bidding:

This e-mail is a follow-up to our communications on the situation regarding inappropriate bidding in SnapNames auctions by a former employee.

Update to Rebate Offer Acceptance Agreement

On November 6, 2009, via Rust Consulting, we provided a calculation of the impact of the inappropriate bidding activity on your account and a Rebate Offer Acceptance Agreement for you to sign and return at your discretion.

Several SnapNames customers expressed concerns about the agreement’s language. After considering these comments, we concluded that a section of the original agreement, addressing the scope of release of potential claims, could be interpreted as too broad and not what the company intended, and therefore should be clarified.

Accordingly, a revised copy (available for download here) states precisely that the agreement addresses only the SnapNames auctions in which there was bidding activity from the user name “halvarez.”

Customers who have already communicated their acceptance of the rebate do not need to take further action at this point—your rebate is already being processed for payment. However, if you prefer the revised language, you can print, sign and return the updated document. In that event, we will destroy the original acceptance agreement.

Should you have questions regarding the revised agreement, please contact Rust Communications at (888) 413-5338, or [email protected].

Calculation of rebate amounts

As discussed in the November 6 communication from Rust Consulting, to determine the rebate offer amount, SnapNames hired an independent, third-party forensic accounting firm to perform a review of these auctions and to calculate the rebate.

The firm reviewed data regarding all of the bidders in an affected auction, including the bids each bidder placed in the auction and the maximum bids the bidders indicated they were willing to place in the auction. From this data, the firm determined what the winning bid would have been had halvarez never placed a bid in the auction. This amount was then subtracted from the actual price paid for the domain name to determine the amount of the rebate for that auction.

Upon further review of this data, SnapNames has learned that for a small number of accounts, calculations failed to account for changes in our bidding system over time. In those cases, there will be a resulting upward adjustment of between $1 and $5 per auction. If you were affected, you do not need to take any action—you automatically will be paid the higher amount. If your payment has already been processed, you will be issued an additional check for the difference (or credit will be added to your SnapNames account, if you elected that option).

Additional options for sending your rebate acceptance

As detailed previously, if you elect to accept the rebate offer, you can execute and return the Rebate Offer Acceptance Agreement to:

SnapNames Rebate Administrator
P.O. Box 98
Minneapolis, MN 55440-0098

(If you so elect, you may ask Rust Consulting to print and mail you a copy of the forms with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Rust Consulting can be reached by telephone at (888) 413-5338 or by e-mail at [email protected].)

We have made additional options available for returning your agreement. If you prefer, you may:

• Fax your executed offer to (503) 200-1232
• E-mail a scanned copy of the executed offer to [email protected]


Again, thank you for your business, and your ongoing trust in SnapNames.

Sincerely,

Jeff Kupietzky
President and CEO

Craig Snyder
General Manager, SnapNames.com
 
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Thanks for the update Rob.

This is good news I should think, Oversee really is listening, always a good thing.

:tu:
 
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Thanks for the update Rob.

This is good news I should think, Oversee really is listening, always a good thing.

:tu:

What did you expect?

Unless Executives are arrested for FRAUD this is not any good news.
 
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Unless Executives are arrested for FRAUD this is not any good news.
Do you want a settlement or are you on a witchhunt?

Just for the record...
1. how much are you out on this?

2. Have you filed a criminal complaint yet?
 
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Do you want a settlement or are you on a witchhunt?

Just for the record...
1. how much are you out on this?

2. Have you filed a criminal complaint yet?

If you were involved in this criminal matter and read the threads i have posted, then you would know I have already got the Police Agencies in US and Canada investigating this matter.

What I'm owed is not the issue here, what I'm concerned is false statements by ROB and his FRIENDS at their company blaming all this on one person... Im dissapointed to read that you think Robs post is great news for our community. How could you call this good news?

I'm disgusted by all this and will not sleep until the entire company Executives are investigated by the FBI, RCMP.

I'm very dissapointed with all who are jumping on the rebate wagon. This just shows us how fragile our industry is and that anyone with big wallets can push their way into our industry steal from us for almost 5 years and then try to buy us all out with their excuse. BULL SHIT

I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO DROP until the LAW decides WHO IS RIGHT AND WRONG

Samit I'm very dissapointed in your attitude toward this matter.
 
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Revised agreement said:
REBATE OFFER ACCEPTANCE AGREEMENT

WHEREAS, SnapNames.com, Inc. (“SnapNames”), has notified the undersigned of its offer of a rebate (the “Rebate Offer”) in respect of certain domain names (the “Domains”) acquired by the undersigned through an auction administered by SnapNames; and

WHEREAS, the undersigned purchased the Domains from SnapNames, is authorized to enter into this Rebate Offer Acceptance Agreement (this “Agreement”) as or on behalf of the purchaser of the Domains, and desires to accept the Rebate Offer, subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.

NOW, THEREFORE, in exchange for all right, title and interest in any and all Claims against SnapNames and other Releasees as defined below, and in acknowledgement of the Rebate Offer provided by SnapNames, the undersigned hereby accepts the Rebate Offer in exchange for the following:

I, the undersigned, individually and jointly, for myself and my successors, assigns, trustees, partners, joint venturers, directors, officers, affiliates, associates, managers, licensees, and for any other claiming through or under each or all of them and for any person or entity with or for whom I may have purchased the above mentioned names (collectively, the “Releasors”) hereby release and forever discharge, acquit, covenant not to sue and acknowledge complete satisfaction from, SnapNames, and its past and present parent companies (includingOversee.net), affiliates, successors, assigns, agents, attorneys, servants, representatives, employees, independent contractors, trustees, administrators, predecessors-in-interest, insurers, partners, joint venturers, stockholders, members, directors, officers, parent companies, associated companies, holding companies, subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates, associates, managers, licensees, accountants and consultants of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Releasees”) for any and all claims, actions, arbitrations, charges, complaints, grievances, hearings, causes of action, actions, suits, damages, costs, expenses, judgments, liabilities, demands, inquiries, investigations, proceedings or suits of every kind and nature whatsoever, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, previously existing, or now existing, or hereafter arising, in law or in equity (collectively, the “Claims”), which the Releasors or any of them had, may have had, or now has, from the beginning of time to today’s date against the Releasees, collectively, or any of the Releasees, individually, for or by reason of any matter whatsoever relating in whole or in part to the bidding activity of the SnapNames user associated with the user name “halvarez” (the “Released Matters”) for damages, restitution, disgorgement, unjust enrichment, civil penalties, statutory penalties, injunctive and/or declaratory relief, whether class, individual, representative, or otherwise in nature, including costs, expenses, penalties, and attorneys fees.

I, the undersigned, hereby covenant and agree that I shall not hereafter sue or seek to establish liability against any of the Releasees based, in whole or in part, upon any Claim relating in whole or in part to the Released Matters. I further covenant and agree that I shall, hereafter, opt out of any plaintiff class or other representative action of which I might be a member in any action against any of the Releasees, based, in whole or in part, on any Claims relating in whole or in part to the Released Matters.

It is the intention of the Releasors that this Release shall be effective as a full and final accord and satisfaction, and release, of the Released Matters, and that this release herein extend to any and all claims of whatsoever kind or character, known or unknown of such Released Matters; accordingly, in furtherance of this intention, each party expressly waives any and all rights granted by California Civil Code Section 1542. The Releasors acknowledge that they are familiar with Section 1542 of the California Civil Code, which provides as follows

“A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH
THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS
OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE,
WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, MUST HAVE MATERIALLY
AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.”

Notwithstanding the foregoing provision, I hereby waive and relinquish any and all rights and benefits that I may have under Section 1542 of the California Civil Code or under the law of any other state or jurisdiction to the same or similar effect.

This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California. Facsimile and pdf signatures shall be acceptable and binding.

Looks better to me, but I'm going to wait see how things develop over the next couple months.
 
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Looks better to me, but I'm going to wait see how things develop over the next couple months.

Me too, It is better but I still don't like how it is worded.

Snapnames user “associated” with the user name Halvarez

The way I read it was if any future court case finds out that Nelson Brady has used multiple fake bidding names we will NOT be able to claim on those past auctions if we have signed.


Don't like the sound of that :| I may be wrong ?

Any lawyers in the house ??



.
 
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Quite honesty, I don't think Halvarez is gone. He is still roaming at snapnames with a different identity. Just today, I backordered a name. Coincidentally, at the same exact minute another bidder also backordered that name. No one else is in this auction but he is in the lead. It's a decent name but I don't want to pay too much for it. I guess I will wait and see in a few days.

I am not going to increase my proxy bid until the last minutes of the auction. Cheers
 
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If you were involved in this criminal matter and read the threads i have posted, then you would know I have already got the Police Agencies in US and Canada investigating this matter.
Blah blah. Anybody can post a form a on govt website.
For the record a lawsuit has been filed already, sometimes it's better to watch first then make moves. Let the show play for the time being.
 
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When will Business Angels, Venture Capitalists, and Bankers, learn NOT to finance the acquisition ambitions of idiots....?!?


The management capability of the Oversee/Snap people looks to me to be totally out of its depth.


They appear to have NO concept of how to manage an organisation of integrity.....NO concept of how to manage a problem.....NO concept of how to manage market confidence.....NO concept of the value of substantial communication with customers & markets.


Snap/Oversee are reluctantly offering small concessions only after being dragged screaming & kicking to do it...


First, they finally released the records of affected auctions - so, people could check something as basic as the basis on which they would be rebated - ONLY after massive pressure from the community....Something that should have been volunteered immediately at the outset;


Now, they modify the Settlement Agreement ONLY after more furious complaints that the thing read like a licence to cop out on the widest - and, arguably including, an unrelated - set of possible future claims....A document that should never have been produced in its original form.


Meantime,


- They tell us NOTHING of substance about the core of the issue.

- NOR, (beyond rebates) what, if anything, they intend to DO about it.

- NOR, whether Oversee will press charges.

- NOR, what action(s) they are/have taken to give us confidence this will never happen again.

- Nor, their assessment of the ramifications of the impact (if any) on Oversee, itself - and Moniker et al.

...etc etc etc


This outfit is showing us that they are either massively incompetent - or, genuinely corrupt - or, they simply don't 'get it'....


Idiocy is clearly no bar to being able to borrow other people's money, to buy assets that other people have built.....and, run it so badly that it damages an industry.

.
 
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I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO DROP until the LAW decides WHO IS RIGHT AND WRONG

Unfortunately the law doesn't always decide who's "right" and "wrong" among those who
are involved. A lot of times, they try to resolve issues without unnecessary bloodshed.
(or even protect certain interests that lobby for them...)

One does what one can under the circumstances, even if others don't consider it enough.
 
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What legal actions have people made so far with regards to the activity? Specifically, has anyone reported this to any local, state, or federal law enforcement representatives yet?
 
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What legal actions have people made so far with regards to the activity? Specifically, has anyone reported this to any local, state, or federal law enforcement representatives yet?

I have informed R.C.M.P in Canada and Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C),
and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).
 
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Get a life ****, its individuals like you who only talk **** and do nothing to protect our industry!

I know your a better person than this and I'm sure your just upset about the matter but
lets not digress in anger at each other. Maybe an apology is in order.

NN
 
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Get a life ****, its individuals like you who only talk **** and do nothing to protect our industry!
You're always so overzealous. What are you trying to prove ?
Plus, I am a victim too. Do Snapnames even owe you a single cent ?
 
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I know your a better person than this and I'm sure your just upset about the matter but lets not digress in anger at each other. Maybe an apology is in order.

NN

Yeah, did'nt anyone ever tell you don't mess with a bunny wabbit ! ;)




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