Negative exerience with GoDaddy and TDNAM auctions!

[amosba]

I recently won an expired name auction at TDNAM, paid for the domain promptly and two weeks later received notification that the transaction was complete and the domain was now in my account. Then a few days later it was gone! I got a "CHANGE OF REGISTRANT" email confirming that *I* had initiated a change of registrant to someone with a GoDaddy email address. An hour later another email arrived, "Per your request, the items listed below have been cancelled from your account", listing the registration of the domain in question.

I did not initiate any transfer and I did not cancel the domain. In fact I had some specific plans for developing that domain.

Another hour later and I received notice of a refund for the domain name.

My first email to GoDaddy's support was completely ignored, my second complaint was replied to with the following:

Thank you for contacting Online Support.

Checking our system, I show you have contacted us about this via telephone about the erroneously processed backorder.
We apologize for the inconvenience in this matter. Please let us know if we can assist you in any other way.

I had not called GoDaddy, as I am in Australia and don't fancy being on hold while paying international rates. I should also point out that I purchased the name through an auction, not a backorder.

I replied indicating that I had not called and asked yet again for an answer as to why the domain was removed from my account without authorisation. The reply I got was as unhelpful as the first and further attempts to get any answers were met with what can only be described as stonewalling, ending with the following statement from GoDaddy's support: "Unfortunately we are unable to suppoirt this issue through this forum."

Obviously something fishy is going on at GoDaddy...

Through the exchange with the least helpful support desk since eBay, I did manage to discover that the person who stole my domain name is a GoDaddy "domain specialist" and she sent the following "explanation":

This is to inform you that the domain name XXXXX.COM was awarded to you in error. The domain should not have been released to be purchased at the auction. Due to our error, we returned the domain to the original registrant and have refunded you for the purchase. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and would like to offer you a new domain registration of your choice for two years. Please contact me at xxxxxxxx@godaddy.com to coordinate this new registration.

A complaint sent to [email protected] received a longer reply, addressing several issues that arose during this fiasco, but still leaving me in the dark as to what the error was that lead to the domain being transferred out of my account without my knowledge or approval. Oh, but the "Office of the President" did up the offer of compensation to three years' registration of another domain. BFD! :td:

From the OotP's response, it seems someone rang GoDaddy claiming to be me, although supposedly no information was given out, yet the first support person appeared to be of the opinion that the phone call had settled the issue. I have to wonder what has gone on here? Someone calls GoDaddy, claiming to be me, then a domain I have purchased through an auction is mysteriously transferred out of my account and when pressed on the issue, GoDaddy's representatives avoid the question waffle on about "an error" without ever stating what it was and then offer a lame two (then upped to three) year domain registration in compensation for the loss of a brandable, five-letter domain.

Interestingly, archive.org shows the domain had been parked for two years prior to it expiring. DomainTools seems to indicate that the original owner held the domain name up to its expiry (if anyone has a silver account at DomainTools and can get me a copy of the whois history I would be very grateful) and the current owner appears to be a "domain broker" by the name of NameGiant.

I wouldn't have minded so much if GoDaddy had just been upfront about the problem and if they had actually contacted me before stealing the domain. I have won a domain at TDNAM only to have the original owner renew their registration, but the emails from GoDaddy/TDNAM are very clear about what is happening, but this time it appears they are trying very hard to cover up something. I think I might start moving my domains over to Moniker as soon as I can...

 

[ukguy]

How much are we talking about if you don't mind me asking? A rough ballpark....
It sucks... but GoDaddy service, although slow, at least they reply personally!!

 

[amosba]

How much are we talking about if you don't mind me asking? A rough ballpark....

It wasn't much at all - low $xx. I had expected to pay high $xx, low $xxx for the name, but the price is irrelevant really. The point is I won the name, had it transferred into my account, then GoDaddy transfers it out without even informing me.

It sucks... but GoDaddy service, although slow, at least they reply personally!!

Unfortunately their replies fail to address the key issues in your complaints though. Replies that are full of waffling on about side issues and that do not answer the direct questions asked are next to useless. Even eBay's infamous support is better than this!

 

[Spade]

Im sorry to hear this. I used to work for Godaddy in their billing department, and this issue is very peculiar. There most likely was an issue with the original owner redeeming the domain name, or perhaps even being a retention customer (Retention customers = Top guys). They have extra pool because of how much they spend and even have a special department dedicated to them. My guess is that one of them asked there rep to renew the domain name, but never did. It went expired and fell into TDNAM, where you bid on it. Then the customer realized it was no longer in his account, threw a huge stink, and they "fixed it" the reason you got those emails, was because you were the owner and those are automatic when a domain is canceled/removed from an account. Sounds like BS to me. The problem is, its probably not worth it to fight, even though you have a legal right to the domain name. Sorry to hear about it!

 

[Aggro]

What are the requirements/criteria for a 'retention' customer?

 

[amosba]

I've had a chance to check the domain's whois history but there appears to be a couple of missing changes. The history jumps from 2001 to when the domain was transferred to me, so I have no way of knowing for sure who the previous owner really was. I'll just have to take GoDaddy's word for it that the previous owner really was NameGiant.

I've resigned myself to the fact that I am not going to get the domain back and won't get a straight answer out of GoDaddy.

 

[domainacrobat]

There most likely was an issue with the original owner redeeming the domain name, or perhaps even being a retention customer (Retention customers = Top guys). They have extra pool because of how much they spend and even have a special department dedicated to them. My guess is that one of them asked there rep to renew the domain name, but never did. It went expired and fell into TDNAM, where you bid on it. Then the customer realized it was no longer in his account, threw a huge stink, and they "fixed it"

I would geuss this is exactly what happens. I have my own special person I can call 24/7 to yell at (not mormal tech support, my own rep). Though I never have had to yell! Thank you GOD! Pretty much anything you ask for as long as you are happy. I would be POed if I were you. Sorry to hear about it. Very detailed post and interesting to read.

 

[Spade]

What are the requirements/criteria for a 'retention' customer?

Retention customers as a whole represent the top accounts at GoDaddy, typically an account that spends several thousand dollars a year would qualify, however you have to be invited by that particular department to become one, you cant ask.

 

[cache]

I had the opposite experience.
a few weeks ago, I sold a domain and got the money. But the buyer never responded to my transfer request. He did not act on it until I had to inform him the expiration of domain and finally begged him to get the domain from me.

The correct protocol should be: I will not get the money until he got the name.