I Didn't Register it, Moniker Did

[seven]

I had been a proponent of searching for domains at Moniker because I always searched for domains there and never had a problem with a "suspicious" domain registration. That has changed.

I searched on Moniker for a specific job niche in the 7th largest city in the US on December 20th. I would have purchased the domain but I didn't have my passwords with me (on someone else's computer). The name went citynichejobs.com. On December 22, that domain was registered for the first time ever by this whois contact:

Name: Admin -

Organization: Oversee Research and Development, LLC

Email: [email protected]
Address: 515 South Flower Street

Suite 4400

City, Province, Post Code: Los Angeles, California, 90071
Country: US
Phone: 1.2132653191

And for all of those who say this is an all out competition and I should have registered it if I really wanted it, fine I accept that. The concept is not lost on me. The purpose of this post is to tell others that Moniker will scan your search and register domains just like GoDaddy will.

If you think this may have been an innocent register, I'm sure another turnip truck will be along shortly.

 

[Kate]

citynichejobs.com is available right now. Is this a recent drop ? It might have been tasted as it dropped.

 

[bmugford]

I am pretty sure that is not the actual domain.

I think he means CityNicheJobs.com like ChicagoFireFighters.com

Brad

citynichejobs.com is available right now. Is this a recent drop ? It might have been tasted as it dropped.

 

[Timewarp]

Maybe this is like what Network Solutions was caught doing where they register the name just to hold it for the searcher (and to prevent searcher from buying it from another registrar) ... sleazy but they weren't actually keeping the domains for themselves. Still not sure what the solution would be, maybe they drop it in 5 days.

 

[floatingworld]

I am pretty sure that is not the actual domain.

I think he means CityNicheJobs.com like ChicagoFireFighters.com

Brad

I must be missing something here....yes I must, never mind!

 

[seven]

Brad is correct. That is what I meant.

I actually emailed the admin and told them I knew they had regged it off my scan. I then offered $40 for it. No reply yet. I live in the city and the niche is the one I will be in so ironically I'm one of the few endusers who would actually buy it. It's not a huge deal though. As far as buying the domain to have and to hold, it's not like it's some great generic. Of all the domains I've searched there, I'm surprised this is the one they choose to grab.

Although now I have suspicious about another domain I searched that had an end user, well developed page four days later.

Maybe this is like what Network Solutions was caught doing where they register the name just to hold it for the searcher (and to prevent searcher from buying it from another registrar) ... sleazy but they weren't actually keeping the domains for themselves. Still not sure what the solution would be, maybe they drop it in 5 days.

 

[Name Trader]

Thats probably the worst thing you could have done. The domain was probably being tasted for 5 days. You could have registered it after that.

 

[seven]

Thats probably the worst thing you could have done. The domain was probably being tasted for 5 days. You could have registered it after that.

I agree. Knee jerk reaction. A few seconds after I sent the email, I realized how stupid it was.

 

[Auraka]

Pretty crappy practice.....I wonder what Bari will say

 

[daj]

Lol...I had a large heated thread about this same topic months ago, maybe even a year ago.. on this forum..but it was deleted/banned by mods here..because Moniker himself came into the thread and said they don't pick up names that are searched for on their website... Honestly I wasn't for sure if Moniker.com's did it, because I looked up stuff on moniker/estibot/domaintools/and dynadot but oversee.net registered a handful of names I searched for that day..and didn't let them go for 5 days.
Their just testing them..luckily this isn't happening as much since some registrars have stopped domain tasting..

 

[InternetMoney]

Net Solutions did that, took 3 domains I was looking at, I registered them with them and got it.

Try registering it with them and see if they were simply holding it for you.

 

[seven]

Lol...I had a large heated thread about this same topic months ago, maybe even a year ago.. on this forum..but it was deleted/banned by mods here..because Moniker himself came into the thread and said they don't pick up names that are searched for on their website... Honestly I wasn't for sure if Moniker.com's did it, because I looked up stuff on moniker/estibot/domaintools/and dynadot but oversee.net registered a handful of names I searched for that day..and didn't let them go for 5 days.
Their just testing them..luckily this isn't happening as much since some registrars have stopped domain tasting..

I'd like to see Moniker explain away registering this domain 2 days after I searched for it on their site and their site only. To me registrars shouldn't even be in the business of registering domains. I mean I can see if they would register domainregistration.com and point it to themselves, but other than that I think domaining shouldn't be in the registrar's repitoire. It too easily presents itself as a conflict of interest. That's aspirational though, right now I still feel as if we're in the wild, wild web.

Net Solutions did that, took 3 domains I was looking at, I registered them with them and got it.

Try registering it with them and see if they were simply holding it for you.

If that's their game plan, I wish they'd let me in on it.

 

[thebutler]

Contact Moniker

I would email Moniker directly and see if you get a response or call someone on the phone on Monday. Refer them to this thread on namepros. yes you're calling them out but heck you want that domain.

 

[seven]

What do you know, I check the recently deleted domains and guess what shows up. HAHAHA.

 

[Peter]

Unfortunately this is quite a common practice among many registrars. This is why you should find somewhere safe that you trust to do searches then and only then do the search on the registrar when you are going to buy.

This domain is most certainly being tasted at the moment. If there is little to no traffic it will be returned to the available domains.

 

[Tribulatio]

Unfortunately this is quite a common practice among many registrars. This is why you should find somewhere safe that you trust to do searches then and only then do the search on the registrar when you are going to buy.

Very right. My feeling is that some registrars don't indulge in that practice. I nearly always do my search for available names on Namecheap website, and I did never have any such problem.

Anyway, it is good to know that Moniker shouldn't be too trusted, thanks to Seven for sharing the experience here

 

[Kaleidozone]

I register most of mine at godaddy but I always make sure if what I want is available I buy it right then and there. I've never had a problem with godaddy, but I don't take any chances.

 

[seven]

Unfortunately this is quite a common practice among many registrars. This is why you should find somewhere safe that you trust to do searches then and only then do the search on the registrar when you are going to buy.

This domain is most certainly being tasted at the moment. If there is little to no traffic it will be returned to the available domains.

Exactly. I was under the impression Moniker was a safe zone. I've now moved Tribulatio's website of choice - NameCheap.

 

[Kate]

I often check expired names in bulk at Moniker when compiling my list of availables and never noticed anything suspect.

 

[copper]

What do you know, I check the recently deleted domains and guess what shows up. HAHAHA.

Actually, for me, it's good practice.
I had about 40 domains expired and past redemption period.
I called support and got most of them back at regular renewal fees :D