question How to prevent domain name searches from being stolen?

[Domain Name Invest]

Hello,

I don't know what methods you use to search for available domain names, personally I usually check their availability on Google Domains (I find their interface quite convenient for searches).

Lately I felt like looking for new domains to buy, and it turns out that a domain name that had not been re-registered since 2009 has just been registered barely a day after I detected it.... funny coincidence!

I suspect that some people are monitoring the searches made from some registrars, but maybe I'm a bit of a conspiracy buff...

If this is the case, how can we avoid having some domain names "stolen" as soon as they are detected?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[Mister Funsky]

I suspect that some people are monitoring the searches made from some registrars

They call it 'front running' in some circles and it is real.

Many free 'services' that provide for name checking (registration, stats, links, etc.) can also harvest searches in the event they want to. To be relatively sure no one will see a domain name you might want to register, simply go to:

https://lookup.icann.org/lookup

 

[biggie]

Hi

the name can't be "stolen", if you didn't own it.

best to register it when you see it available, as others may have same idea as you.

procrastination can be your worse enemy in domaining sometimes.

imo...

 

[karmaco]

They are not being stolen. Someone just beat you to it. Best way to handle this is to search when you are ready to buy.

 

[Xiberia]

If you use Linux, install "whois".

If you use Windows, replace it with Linux and then install "whois".

Or: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/whois

 

[mr-x]

Hello,

I don't know what methods you use to search for available domain names, personally I usually check their availability on Google Domains (I find their interface quite convenient for searches).

Lately I felt like looking for new domains to buy, and it turns out that a domain name that had not been re-registered since 2009 has just been registered barely a day after I detected it.... funny coincidence!

I suspect that some people are monitoring the searches made from some registrars, but maybe I'm a bit of a conspiracy buff...

If this is the case, how can we avoid having some domain names "stolen" as soon as they are detected?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Like my Mom used to say.. the best time to buy something is when you find it.

 

[bamboozle]

I’ve read about GoDaddy front running and doing other shady stuff so that’s why I don’t use them.

I do omit the extension when I search for a keyword. For example, on Namecheap, I type a keyword “crypto” and then search. This brings up crypto in all extensions on Namecheap. So Namecheap would never know which exact domain I was interested in, just the keyword.

 

[karmaco]

I pretty much have the same view as @karmaco...isn't really stealing, its just someone else got there

Yes. There isn’t a domainer here who made a list by typing into a registrar and went back to register 1 day 1 week or 1 hour later and did not find something allready taken.

Its the nature of domaining as ideas are always floating around and we view the same drop lists and the same sold lists.

With all that being said, I agree with whoever said GD is the worst place to type a name in and not register it right away.

 

[Anees Ahmad]

IMO If you found a hidden gem, you shouldn't waste a second. Once you own, nobody can steal it.

 

[CraigD]

Unique ideas are very rare these days.

I think domainers are often (consciously or subconsciously) triggered to search names by something they have just seen in the media.

Millions of other people just saw the same thing, and a small percentage of bright sparks will search for related names.

If you want it, grab it!

 

[MasterOfMyDomains]

Net sol monitors names we search at their site. 3 times i have gotten a phone call asking if I needed assistance registering a name they saw i had searched for. Last time i logged in i searched NetSolCan Suck**** .com of course, never got call back
If you dont think registrars record names searched at their site, your sadly mistaken.

 

[FolioTeam]

Hi

the name can't be "stolen", if you didn't own it.

best to register it when you see it available, as others may have same idea as you.

procrastination can be your worse enemy in domaining sometimes.

imo...

That people think that they are the only ones thinking of that great idea out of millions and billions of people all over the world is outstanding in itself. Just because you thought of it doesn't mean someone else can't think of it too

 

[HotKey]

If the name isn't good enough to register right away, nothing lost nothing gained regardless of theories on why it was taken soon afterwards or a year later.

Generally take it as a good sign if you see your queried name is registered at some point, it means you're on the right track with naming because someone else saw value in it too and that's what investing is all about. As karmaco initially pointed out, to be safe don't search unless you are ready to buy. Otherwise be prepared to lose that opportunity.

 

[oldtimer]

It's understandable that people here only look at this problem from a domainer's point of view,

But consider the people in a small business or even a large company who have been brainstorming for several days to find what they feel is the perfect domain name for their project and when they finally decide to register it they find out that it was just registered the day before and put under privacy by someone else.

There are several culprits who STEAL other people's domain ideas:

The Registries,
which in the case of .com Verisign openly makes the list of domain searches available for others to take advantage of.

The Registrars,
It's a well known fact that Registrars and their employees pass around domain search lists to others like hotcakes.

Whois look up sites,
Including even the one from ICANN that have access to domain searches

ISPs and anyone else that has access to your Internet connection legally or illegally (including the hackers).

Search engine and other sites,
That you might have used to research your domain ideas.

The sites you use online to store your files and documents,
Which might somehow be accessible to others.


And in some cases the little mice that live inside your home or the flies on your walls that might see it as an added opportunity to take advantage of any new ideas that you might have come up with (including but not limited to new inventions, business ideas and plans, new designs, proprietary information, or even a new tune or song that you might have come up with).

But regardless of who has access to your domain searches and research I believe that there should be a 60 day window that they should be required by law not to disclose your domain search and research info.

IMO

 

[Domain Name Invest]

They call it 'front running' in some circles and it is real.

Many free 'services' that provide for name checking (registration, stats, links, etc.) can also harvest searches in the event they want to. To be relatively sure no one will see a domain name you might want to register, simply go to:

https://lookup.icann.org/lookup

Thanks for the explanation and the tip !

 

[Domain Name Invest]

If you use Linux, install "whois".

If you use Windows, replace it with Linux and then install "whois".

Or: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/whois

Thanks a lot for these infos and this link, it will help me for sure !!

 

[jhm]

I pretty much have the same view as @karmaco...isn't really stealing, its just someone else got there

 

[Xiberia]

Can't disclose.

Why not?

 

[DomainNature]

This is known as Industrial Espionage, today the AI tech is so advanced and it is in every tech we use, even your browser is a window for them.
NamePros website I can tell use such tech, it would be good for the owners to tell us how exactly it works because I m tired to see targeted topics bassed on what I search on internet.
This AI tech collects all info as you browse the internet, images, text, sounds, movies you watch etc, even your smartphone is a spying device.
I have promised that I will destroy those who build it and will impale them on 5G antennas when I will have the needed power, I also suspect that because they know this they will prevent me to sell any domain name so I never gather resources to come after them. But they forgot that I have power of word and I can do some manipulations to this matrix which will affect them in return, even if it will touch me I m ready to do it again.

 

[DOMAIN ILLUMINATI]

Only what belongs to you can be stolen from you.

 

[donames_11]

If you are that interested in a domain name, why do you have to wait to register it?

 

[DOMAIN ILLUMINATI]

If you are that interested in a domain name, why do you have to wait to register it?

This is basically the essential question in regards to this matter.

One reason is that some may have not the money at the time when they want to register it (in this case you simply should not search for it, thats a 101, period).

But the main reason (if lack of money is not the point) in my assesment is that they are in fact (most probably) actually not 100 % interested in it (they just think they are but in fact they are not, at least not 100 %) as otherwise they would have directly registered it (instead of just searching for it (without being prepared to register it instantly (in case it is available))).

 

[branding]

Just stop using registrars to check...

https://www.alphr.com/whois-windows-command-prompt/

Problem solved.

 

[maksimfa]

Front Running domains has been going on for a long time now as indicated in the ICANN links that I had posted earlier.

I agree that there are other problems associated with the domain Industry and domaining that also need attention and must be fixed, but this thread was about Front Running domains and so it became the focus of attention for me here.

I originally thought that it was just coincidence that some of the domains that I was searching for were being registered and put under privacy shortly afterwards specially since a lot of people here were telling me the same thing and so I just forgot about them and counted them as just not being fast enough. But after I lost a few obscure domains that I had found to be available I have started keeping better records of my domain searches and hopefully will be able to have some proof as to this Front Running situation soon. I recommend that others to also start keeping better records so that we can get a handle on this situation.

Now even after showing concrete proof of Front Running going on I am sure that there will be some people here that would still try to blame us for not registering the domains fast enough, but I still believe that taking advantage of someone elses domain search ideas is not right and should not be accepted as the norm.

And keep in mind that domaining is now accepted as a legitimate hobby and investment (as long as one doesn't infringe on other people's rights) but Front Running is still considered as an unacceptable practice by ICANN.

Regarding drop catching domain names associated with businesses that forget to renew them that is something that the Registries and the Registrars can fix by not allowing those domains to drop like all the other domains do at least not until they do their best to contact the previous owners to verify that they no longer want those domains.

IMO

and btw to test this... I am going to run a test... I have a list of 2,000 potential domain names I would like to purchase. I am going to do a search tomorrow on them and see how many are available. Then will do the same search over the next few days and see how many are available at that point.

 

[iDat]

Hi

the name can't be "stolen", if you didn't own it.

best to register it when you see it available, as others may have same idea as you.

procrastination can be your worse enemy in domaining sometimes.

imo...

Procrastination can be worst in almost all situations, not just domaining.