Registerfly - CEO

[tldagent]

Below is an email that was forwarded to me with some of the latest information on the Registerfly Debacle. We have also added a news release on www.registerflies.com that explains a little more.

Has Enom known this all along?

"RegisterFly.com is one of the largest internet domain name registries.

They originally operated as a reseller of services from Enom.com, but in
February 2006 they received their own ICANN accreditation and became
authorized to manage and sell their own domain services. There has been
friction and difficulty between RegisterFly and Enom for well over a
year, and in the past several weeks it appears that Enom has "fired"
RegisterFly. They sent alarming emails to all the customers who had been
receiving resold services announcing that their relationship with
RegisterFly was severed and informing them how to access their
automatically transferred domain names in a new Enom.com account.

I have experienced a long and dreadful history of problems with
RegisterFly, and I am apparently not alone. In fact, some industrious
person has set up the domain "www.registerflies.com" where he has
documented numerous problems AND the failure of ICANN to act responsibly
to address a situation that is clearly not acceptable for an accredited
registry managing over two million domain names.

But the real story isn't just that people are unhappy. Last night I
called their secondary customer support number to see whether they might
be able to help with major problems that have been occurring all week
(since the main support number obviously could not.) I'm not talking
about minor stuff, but rather a situation where the customer service
reps and administrators at RegisterFly CANNOT ACCESS their own systems
at all!

The rep I spoke with told me a story about the real problem. It seems
that the partners who started the company are fighting with one another,
and one of them is trying to force out the other. The one who is being
forced out has apparently been retaliating by hacking into the registry
systems and databases and making changes that have utterly paralyzed the
company. Suddenly my recent problems start to make sense. The outsourced
customer service reps have been telling us since Monday that they would
like to help, but that they cannot access the backend panels that
control their systems. They suggest it will be working in a few hours
and ask the customer to call back then. When you call back they loop
through the same scripted routine again.

This has been going on since Monday! The company cannot control its
systems. Even worse, the support rep indicated that they fear the
alienated partner is trying to hack and destroy the domain registration
databases. It is an incredible situation. Infighting at a domain
registry jeopardizing over two million domain names and preventing
customers from even being able to make minor changes to the domains they
own."

 

[RickM]

If people are able to start modifying their domains, then that is a good sign. If you can move you're domains....I really don't need to tell you why

Even if it means borrowing a bit of cash to do so....get you're domains out of there!

 

[mrfike]

Strange, as I've followed the drama unfolding at Registerfly I've had no problems logging in and working on dns/ redirects etc.
Of course since everything's taken a turn south since last week I've not been back and certainly not had any new transactions.
Again, interesting to note that RF's notoriously bad customer service had been improving since early last year. I have to wonder if that was because of or in spite of former boss Medina?
Anyways, today I received notices from Enom for a few of the domains about some domains that they will transfer them for free.

 

[briman1970]

I got a reply on a Registerfly support ticket!!!!!!! It was an old support ticket which wasn't related to the name I'm currently trying to renew (for the second time) but still... this is news in and of itself! An actual reply to a support ticket on Registerfly!!! It was relevant and semi-courteous too!!! I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

Thank you for writing RegisterFly.com technical support. I see your question is related to the renewal of expired names in your account. Upon researching your account further I have obtained the current pending queue of your domain name renewals. (Diligence from a Regfly employee!?!? Amazing!!!) Due to the large volume of names we are processing it can take anywhere from 1 to 5 days to properly process and confirm the renewal of your expired domain names. (Pertinent Information!?! Holy-moly!!!) In order to avoid these situations in the future, please ensure your domain name is renewed at least TWO WEEKS prior to the domain name expiring. We also offer a special coupon code you can use to RENEW names that will discount the renewal price to $6.99 providing it is used at least 10 days before the name expires. Please do not re-open this ticket unless you have something to add to this ticket otherwise it will add to our ticket queue resulting in possible other delays.

A copy appears below:

Domain: -----------.us (edited out by me)
Date: 2007-02-10
Ref#: 62453356
Status: NEW
=======================================

We hope this information has been helpful for you.

RegisterFly technical support
Renewal Group Services

Is this the light at the end of the tunnel!?!?!?! :yell:

 

[phpnoobs]

It seems that some things changed, I've made an transfer in 4 days.

 

[verbster]

My domains are almost all still showing "client transfer prohibited." I've tried to transfer, but it fails because of the "status."

Does anyone know why my domains might be in the transfer prohibiteds status? They are not in the 60 day period, nor have they had updates in the last 60 days.

Here is an example of the whois:

Registrar of Record: REGISTERFLY.COM, INC.
Record last updated on 18-Nov-2006.
Record expires on 04-Aug-2007.
Record created on 04-Aug-2005.

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.FABULOUS.COM 64.15.205.211
NS2.FABULOUS.COM 64.15.205.212

Domain status: clientTransferProhibited
clientUpdateProhibited

 

[phpnoobs]

Have you unlocked them?

 

[JMJ]

My domains are almost all still showing "client transfer prohibited." I've tried to transfer, but it fails because of the "status."

Does anyone know why my domains might be in the transfer prohibiteds status? They are not in the 60 day period, nor have they had updates in the last 60 days.

Here is an example of the whois:

Registrar of Record: REGISTERFLY.COM, INC.
Record last updated on 18-Nov-2006.
Record expires on 04-Aug-2007.
Record created on 04-Aug-2005.

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.FABULOUS.COM 64.15.205.211
NS2.FABULOUS.COM 64.15.205.212

Domain status: clientTransferProhibited
clientUpdateProhibited

Being that these were in 2005 then they may still be in the old eNom. I would imagine their API access has been blocked. Did you receive any information from eNom on them? Also it seems as though others had a problem with the whois privacy. While it may not be "on" there could very well be a internal problem with the feature thats causing conflicts with the process. Try what another person suggested and create a new account, push the names over to it and see if that works.

 

[verbster]

The domains are showing as unlocked...privacy is off. Received nothing from enom, but only transferred the domains to RF a year ago. Will try pushing to another account. Appreciate the help.

 

[Static]

My domains are almost all still showing "client transfer prohibited." I've tried to transfer, but it fails because of the "status."

Does anyone know why my domains might be in the transfer prohibiteds status? They are not in the 60 day period, nor have they had updates in the last 60 days.

Here is an example of the whois:

Registrar of Record: REGISTERFLY.COM, INC.
Record last updated on 18-Nov-2006.
Record expires on 04-Aug-2007.
Record created on 04-Aug-2005.

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.FABULOUS.COM 64.15.205.211
NS2.FABULOUS.COM 64.15.205.212

Domain status: clientTransferProhibited
clientUpdateProhibited

I'm having the exact same problems with a domain of mine registered back in October 2006 at RegisterFly. Can't transfer it to Moniker for some reason.

Mine.

ICANN Registrar: REGISTERFLY.COM, INC.
Created: 14-oct-2006
Expires: 14-oct-2007
Registrar Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Whois Server: whois.registerfly.com
Name Server: NS1.----------.COM

 

[labrocca]

I just moved another few domains...NO PROBLEMS whatsoever moving them. I am very confident now that at RF a transfer out will be successful if you know what you are doing and don't panic. The process of transfer for some is a new process. Ask about it and learn BEFORE you even begin.

 

[MaxMcool]

I think we need to file a class action against RF.
I am trying to move my domains and they are not responding to open tickets.

One of the domains, I unfortunately, have with them is my business domain for my web site. This domain is used to represent our company and has been on and off over the last year, causing us to suffer irrepairable damage.

I have paid for the transfer and the transfer has been iniated, but RF will not let go.

I am up for a class action, anyone else?

Thats the words I want to here.

If you have lawers, I have enough documented evidence to get it rolling.
There is no doubt someone at registerfly has been ripping people off !
If we just let them get away with it, you must realize that it will just pave the way for the next little ripoff registra to grow into another monster like registerfly.