ResellerClub Screwed Someone I Know

[Christian Taylor]

Hi guys,

So my friend started up a registrar and hosting site with ResellerClub using their basic $25 package. His friend transferred a domain, and after a week or so my friend decided that ResellerClub wasn't suited for him and asked for a refund. They refunded his $25, and they also locked the person's domain who transferred to them. They refuse to unlock it and won't give an auth code to transfer. Isn't this illegal? Is there no ICANN regulation to stop stuff like this?

 

[Matthew Allen]

In 2016 RC suspended one of my domains due to "received abuses regarding SPAM activity"...
But it was just parked at ParkingCrew where email-monetization was enabled and that's all.
So be ready to various surprises from PDR (RC)...

Thus the reason why I withdrew the remaining balance from my account and requested deletion (which, by the way, had not happened yet)

 

[usernamex]

OK so to be clear, @Matthew Allen - you got a ResellerClub account, your under 18 friend then got one as well, then you asked for a refund. And then he asked for Auth Codes to transfer out again. Red flags everywhere. Seriously, you have Reseller Terms of Service you agreed to in addition to the standard customer agreements, the whole thing looks fishy.

 

[Matthew Allen]

@usernamex No the auth codes and him transferring it happened before I withdrew the balance. Honestly I wish this thread was never created. He's just gonna get another domain and start over.

 

[Christian Taylor]

@usernamex No the auth codes and him transferring it happened before I withdrew the balance. Honestly I wish this thread was never created. He's just gonna get another domain and start over.

To respect Matthew, I think the discussion can stop here. I know that I personally learned multiple lessons from this thread:

1. READ terms of service!
2. Understand what you're getting into
3. There are several types of "locks" on domains
4. I apparently pulled off a ghetto transfer and went against ICANN regulations

 

[todaygold]

To respect Matthew, I think the discussion can stop here. I know that I personally learned multiple lessons from this thread:

Don't forget number 5. Pretty much every registrar requires its customers to be at least 18 years old.

 

[Matthew Allen]

Don't forget number 5. Pretty much every registrar requires its customers to be at least 18 years old.

Well myself, my friend, and @Christian Taylor are all under 18 and we all own domains. So...

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

Verisign (Registry) doesn't reject these transfers within 60 days since reg or previous transfer.
Only registrars are responsible to do them or not (accordingly to actual ICANN policy).
You may delete and forget 4.

 

[todaygold]

Well myself, my friend, and @Christian Taylor are all under 18 and we all own domains. So...

Well if you want to risk losing your domains if they find out...oh wait, never mind, you already did.

 

[Matthew Allen]

Well if you want to risk losing your domains if they find out...oh wait, never mind, you already did.

I think if they really cared they'd require a birth date upon sign up. And also, nobody lost their domain due to the age factour itself.

 

[usernamex]

Oh golly gosh, no wonder you all got flagged. Do you have your own credit cards or just use paypal?

I'm curious now if it is a requirement to be 18 to be a customer or just that these were affiliate/reseller accounts so that made legal age a factor

OK so IN THEORY, you have a slim chance of maybe recovering the name BACK to NameCheap and only NameCheap, if you can get ResellerClub and NameCheap to agree

Edit: Same wording on the newer policy - thx @Jurgen Wolf
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/transfer-policy-2016-06-01-en
3.7.6 A domain name is within 60 days (or a lesser period to be determined) after being transferred (apart from being transferred back to the original Registrar in cases where both Registrars so agree and/or where a decision in the dispute resolution process so directs). "Transferred" shall only mean that an inter-registrar transfer has occurred in accordance with the procedures of this policy.

 

[todaygold]

I think if they really cared they'd require a birth date upon sign up. And also, nobody lost their domain due to the age factour itself.

There are a lot of things they care about, which is why you agree to their terms and conditions, which require you to be an adult.

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

https://archive.icann.org/en/transfers/policy-12jul04.htm
Section 3 point 9

This policy is a history already.

Effective since Dec'2016: https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/transfer-policy-2016-06-01-en (3.7, 3.8).

 

[Matthew Allen]

Oh golly gosh, no wonder you all got flagged. Do you have your own credit cards or just use paypal?

I'm curious now if it is a requirement to be 18 to be a customer or just that these were affiliate/reseller accounts so that made legal age a factor

They never said to my friend or myself that we could not operate our accounts because of our age. They did however say that he would have to send a photocopy of the parents ID and an authorization form.

 

[todaygold]

This policy is a history already.

You know what you should do. You should go inform all of the registrars and ask for a 'finders fee' for letting them know, since obviously you know the rules better than the actual registrars.

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

Effective since Dec'2016: https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/transfer-policy-2016-06-01-en (3.7, 3.8).

Also read section 6...
Here is described for what operations is responsible Registry...

So only Registrar can decline or accept the transfer request.

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

p.s. Verisign just follows ICANN rules...

 

[todaygold]

p.s. Verisign just follows ICANN rules...

You mean like the one all registrars follow and the one that is posted several times on their website?:

FAQ for Domain-Name Holders

If I bought a name through one registrar, am I allowed to switch to a different registrar?

You must wait 60 days after the initial registration or any previous transfers to initiate a transfer.

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

Relax and Welcome to my ignore list...

 

[todaygold]

Relax and Welcome to my ignore list...

Relax? You can relax as well, you keep making post after post after post.

 

[Name Trader]

I am a bit confused with all the talk in this thread. But I do have a question. Did both the renewals, from NameCheap to Dynadot, and from Dynadot to Uniregistry, get 1 year added to the expiry date for the said domain transferred?

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

Yes, OP said that all years were added.

 

[Christian Taylor]

I am a bit confused with all the talk in this thread. But I do have a question. Did both the renewals, from NameCheap to Dynadot, and from Dynadot to Uniregistry, get 1 year added to the expiry date for the said domain transferred?

Yes. At Namecheap it expired in 2017. I transferred to Dynadot and my registration was up to 2018. Went to Uniregistry and it was 2019. I renewed it there for another year simply to tame my OCD and make it an even 2020. I will say that I never relieved final email confirmation from Uniregistry saying the transfer completed like the last domain I transferred to them. I double checked though and it's definitely with Uniregistry now. Is there a possibility they could undo the transfer if they find out? I hope that's not the case.

 

[usernamex]

@Christian Taylor - it's nice having years built up on your personal domain now correct ? : smile : You should be fine, if dynadot wanted to prevent you from transfer they had their chance. Looking at whois you can see Uniregistry added the 60 day Transfer Lock as expected - Status: clientTransferProhibited and yes you are registered up to 2020

My guess is we as domainers have just not experienced transfers allowed before the 60 day lock restriction and personally I wouldn't want to risk paying for transfer/renewal if there was a chance I didn't get the year added. I started a transfer on day 60 that was denied and I had to get support to cancel the transfer, wait a day and resubmit because it was a New Registration (NameCheap to AlpNames, day 61 all went fine)

Also, I hope you can recover your friends name, I understand how ResellerClub flagged you and why, yet you should have some means of recourse without the $50 penalties. Can only imagine getting your parents to agree to submit their documentation might be a challenge. I don't agree that to own and use a domain name there should be a legal (18 years) age requirement, only for affiliate and hosting it kinda makes sense. Almost all the social sites have 13 as the minimum, so I am curious if there really is a minimum age for registrars.

ETA - so far I can only find this for age restrictions
@AlpNames the Customer is eligible, to enter into this Contract according to the laws of his country

GoDaddy - By using this Site or the Services, you represent and warrant that you are (i) at least eighteen (18) years of age . . .

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

clientTransferProhibited may be disabled at any time in panel, this is just standard transfer-lock feature for registrants.

 

[Christian Taylor]

ETA - so far I can only find this for age restrictions
@AlpNames the Customer is eligible, to enter into this Contract according to the laws of his country

I think this means 18, since you can't be in a legal agreement as a minor.