Registrars monitoring our chase for domains

[ThreeD]

Before you read any further I want to emphasize that this post is only meant as a warning to all you domain hunting friends Think twice before you do a bunch of domain lookups on a registrar website you don't trust.

We all know most of the registrars monitor our domain lookups, but it's hard to know who the really bad ones are. I now know with 100% certainty that name.com is scanning and monitoring our hunt for good domain names. Here is why!

At the end of last month I found a pretty good 6 letter domain (on name.com) that was available, but I didn't register it there and then because I was doing the lookups from my cellphone. It wasn't a planned thing, but I was having a brainstorm on my way home and I couldn't wait to check the names that popped up in my head. Like I said, I found a couple of good ones that were good for development, but I came home late so I put it all off until the next morning.

The next day when I sat down to finalize the registration process, to my surprise, name.com had already picked up the domain.

The purpose of this thread is to let you know that name.com can't be trusted if you don't have time to register your lookups right there and then.

If you know of other registrars that use the same tactic, feel free to post them here.

 

[AbdulBasit.com]

I don't think Name.com would do like that. In fact, they might have registered that domain on behalf of their customer or the domain is using Name.com's privacy whois due to which it shows Name.com as registrant or like that which makes you feel suspicious about them... Just my views... As I still don't believe such a big registrar like Name.com would do like that.

 

[dtagr]

I'm skeptical frankly. I'm sure the penalties are severe if caught. I do most of my purchases and almost all of my lookups at Name.com

TBH this is an issue that I have thought about before and while I admit that it is certainly possible the sheer mathematics wouldn't work for me. Sifting through hundreds of thousands of crappy domain name lookups to find the 2%-5% worth anything would leave too much of a digital trail.

Of course if it came from high enough anything is possible but I doubt it. There's too much for a legit business to lose.

Protect yourself - use a registrar that you trust, don't look up names unless you're prepared to buy on the spot, use a registrar with a legitimate bricks and mortar address that you can visit in case of suspected shenanigans.:kickass:

 

[DnEbook]

i dont trust any of them ......... i look for names i wish to reg straight away

 

[Jaco]

I'm skeptical frankly. I'm sure the penalties are severe if caught.

For violating what law or ICANN policy?

 

[DomainTalker]

Easy to be absolutely sure...


Use a Registrar that shows multiple extension availability with each lookup (eg GoDaddy, Moniker etc).


Then, if you're interested in the .com of a domain.....Search specifically for that domain in any other extension (eg .net).....It also usually shows if the .com (among other extensions) is taken, or not, from a list of available domains in that name, in addition to the .net of the domain you actually checked.

eg....If your interested in abcdef.com....enter abcdef.net - and, look to see, from the list, what other extensions are not taken (eg the .com) for that name.


That way, if you see the .com is available - but can't register it right away - the Registrar system has only seen you checking the .net of the domain.....NOT the .com...


...If they are into grabbing your lookups, they'll grab the .net (that you entered), not the .com.....Come back later, and register the available .com


Doing it this way, I've never had a problem.

.

 

[ClearSky]

I do all of my domain lookups using Softnik Domain Name Analyzer, and never had a problem. Even after coming back days later to re-check if the names were still available.

The free version is very good and very powerful for most domain lookup needs.

 

[xtmoney]

yheah..but soft is very very slow.it's can take 100 years to check all 4LLLL coms for example..
i stay with my soft..all 4llll coms for 40 min...no one can beat me

I do all of my domain lookups using Softnik Domain Name Analyzer, and never had a problem. Even after coming back days later to re-check if the names were still available.

The free version is very good and very powerful for most domain lookup needs.

 

[MattheP]

yheah..but soft is very very slow.it's can take 100 years to check all 4LLLL coms for example..
i stay with my soft..all 4llll coms for 40 min...no one can beat me

I dont think there is whois server who would accept such request.

 

[Ms Domainer]

*

I usually don't check until I'm ready to reg.

However, I have found that DomainTools whois is a good place to check. Occasionally, I want to sleep on it, and I have never had anyone reg what I have searched the day before.

I don't know if that whois is real time, though.

*

*

 

[fm1234]

Those above who are saying it wouldn't/couldn't happen are apparently unaware of the fact that there was already one big stink over this very practice a couple of years ago. I can't remember the registrar off the top of my head but I'm sure some NP veterans do.

There's nothing in the world to stop a registrar from mining WHOIS and other relevant metrics to grab names for themselves. It's not illegal of course, and as far as I am aware not against ICANN policy. Keep your potential acquisitions close to your chest until you are ready to reg and you'll never have a problem ... you might never have a problem either way, but by taking action on your own part you're not relying on the honesty or reliability of a company (or of an individual working at that company) to protect your interests.


Frank

 

[tricolorro]

Those above who are saying it wouldn't/couldn't happen are apparently unaware of the fact that there was already one big stink over this very practice a couple of years ago. I can't remember the registrar off the top of my head but I'm sure some NP veterans do. Frank

:hi:

That was Network Solutions.

They were registering any .COMs you looked up.

They weren't keeping the domain for themselves.

They were preventing you from registering it anywhere else.

They claimed they were doing it to protect their customer's domain lookups and "holding" the domain so no one else could register it.

But that was a lie.

They were registering and holding any .COM domain looked up and available.

Since you did not have to be logged in, Network Solutions didn't know who you were.

The domain would be held for 4 days and anyone could register it.

If the domain was looked up while they were "holding" it, Network Solutions offered it up for
registration.

To anyone and not the original person who looked it up.

If no one did register it, the domain would drop on the 5th day.

This was during the "Domain Tasting" days when a Registrar could register a domain and get a refund if it was dropped by the 5th day.

As a test, I remember looking up domains like...

PleaseDoNotRegisterThisDomainName.com

DoNotRegisterThisDomainIAmLookingUp.com

...and in just a few seconds Network Solutions registered it.

But they did not do the same for any .NETs I looked up.

There was a Class Action lawsuit filed against Network Solutions for their unsavory practice referred to as Frontrunning.

Domain Name Wire » News » Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Network Solutions, ICANN - The Domain Industry's News Source
--

The lawsuit was settled in April 2009:
"Network Solutions Settles Class Action from Frontrunning Practice"

Domain Name Wire » News » Network Solutions Settles Class Action from Frontrunning Practice - The Domain Industry's News Source

--
Here's are some more links from back then:

Domain Name Wire » News » Network Solutions Faces PR Nightmare Over Domain FrontRunning - The Domain Industry's News Source

Network Solutions steals domain ideas; Confirmed!

 

[Archangel]

I concur. I've used them for the vast majority of my look-ups and never had a problem.

*

I usually don't check until I'm ready to reg.

However, I have found that DomainTools whois is a good place to check. Occasionally, I want to sleep on it, and I have never had anyone reg what I have searched the day before.

I don't know if that whois is real time, though.

*

*

 

[dtagr]

For violating what law or ICANN policy?

That's a good point Dong. I don't know of any specific law or ICANN policy that it violates. It does seem to be the ultimate in "insider trading" though.

Don't discount the regulation of a free market. For example I didn't know until this thread that Network Solutions had been caught doing this several years ago. I don't normally use them as a registrar because their prices are ridiculous. I do have a .pro with them but knowing what I know now I will transfer it out at renewal time. It is very unlikely that I will do business with them again.

Ultimately the free market is the best regulation. It is not wise for companies to do this because it isn't a sustainable business model. The bleed off from domainers who buy the bulk of registrations switching to other registrars would be crippling.

 

[Kate]

Some registrars do not provide real-time domain availability check. For example godaddy may report domains as available when they are not. Most of the time you will get accurate results straight from the registry.

 

[GreenGambler]

I remember when I used Network Solutions back in the day and quickly regretted it. I use DomainTools now and have never had any problems.

 

[Archangel]

DomainTools is my vote, yes, but they do seem to be cached or something. Sometimes I'd reg a domain and NOT see a change in the whois at DT until the next day. But all & all, I like them.

 

[ricma]

What tricolorro said.

A few years ago, it happened to me quite a bit at NetSol. I lost a some good ones. Some that I had checked only minutes earlier.

Now I search for domains only when I'm ready to reg them right then.

 

[harkster]

From what I see it is quite likely a fact. Whether it is legal or not, who knows but one thing for sure is it is unethical at the very best and you can bet on it being done. There is only one registrar I trust and am not totally sure that trust is well placed.

The whole thing is corrupt from top to bottom, especially the aftermarket slums which make Chicago style politics look tame by comparison. I have totally given up on looking for dropping names because if there is any value the registrar will keep it or pass it to someone in the inner slum (read that as circle where a little grease does wonders).

That is why I have become primarily a developer and stashing a few names for future reference. Makes me sad to see such a fun and addicting business become totally corrupted.

 

[fm1234]

Thanks @tricolorro for the refresher course. Couldn't remember who it was and was too lazy to go looking.


Frank