discuss There are some people list millions of other people's domain on Afternic

[70ym]

https://www.afternic.com/gdntc1
gdntc1

https://www.afternic.com/aliyuming
aliyuming

These people list about millions of other people's domain on afternic.
When I try to list my domain, it will show that my domain already list by these people. And I need to spend 10 minutes to send them an email and wait for a week if I want to list my domain.

 

[Namingfy]

so it's time again to agree/approve the names for the Fast Transfer network. I think I'll pass on the Fast Transfer thing this time around.

As you'll pass on the Fast Transfer thing, did you mean to say 'not to agree/approve' for the Fast Transfer network?

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

That's even scary that GD names don't require our Fast Transfer approval. It's absolutely scandalous. GD is a registrar. They should abide by the ICANN policies and behave just like any other registrar should do.

I've ONLY 2 names with GD (as they were pushed). Should transfer them out, soon.

So, the more we dig, the more unethical practices are being exposed.

This is a tricky technical point. If someone agreed in the past to have the Fast Transfer, one would think that after being removed and relisted, that the approval should be required again.

After all, this thread is about sellers with fraudulent listings. Let's say the ownership had changed, which was the cause for the removal. If the new owner relists could the Fast Transfer would automatically be activated presumably without even their approval? Would the fraudulent sellers then be in a better position to try to do some nefarious move to acquire the domain.

Incidentally, reviewing all four fraudulent listings, they all start at a minimum bid of $20, and are only make offer. So, at this point all of them would not be eligible for the FT at this point, which is at least a slight relief.

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

Crooks are alive and well and will always find ways to play the system, especially if it is set up in a vulnerable way as Afternic is.
In my opinion while we are asking for change and waiting for them to solve this, we need to be proactive and check for listings as soon as we acquire the domain. It is annoying especially for somebody with thousands of domains.
As it was said before it makes sense to me to list the Domains on Afternic with Make offer even if the owner doesn't plan on selling the domain, as a hedge.
Again, until they solve this it is a good practice to be proactive and protect ourselves.

Thanks for the input.
What if you ended up having to pay 25% commission of this domain sale ultimately, in addition to the cost of any commission with a non-GD transaction elsewhere, including a buyer directly contacting you?

Is this a possibility, based on the wording of the Afternic User Agreement? (bold emphasis added)?

For any sale of a domain name registration occurs between you and another member after being introduced through this site less than six months prior to the sale, you agree to pay a sales fee to Company, as posted on AFTERNIC.COM. Such introductions include any communication facilitated by the site's listings, offers and messages to members. The sales fee will be paid by the seller, and guaranteed by the buyer. The fee must be received by Company from seller within 30 days of the sale. If Company does not receive such payment within 30 days of the sale, the buyer member agrees to pay Company the brokerage fee within 30 days of receiving notice from Company that the seller did not pay the fee within the first 30 days.

So, for example, your buyer now purchases the domain through Sedo, but had checked out the domain at Afternic previously within the past six months. Are you willing to pay the additional 25% also to Afternic? The total commission could be upwards 10-20% (sedo) plus their 25%.

Perhaps, if you have an actual listing with them at "make offer," it eliminates the need to argue with them that it was a fake listing causing the confusion. There would likely be no actual win, though with that argument---because it might mean that your "make offer" listing, placed in part to prevent fraudulent sellers, now costs you an additional 25% of the sale?!

Perhaps others could weigh in on this paragraph, but it seems to suggest this: if the buyer had initial contact with them, that they do intend to get paid up to six months out--even if the sale ultimately occurs elsewhere, And this does create heightened concerns about having the fraudulent listings ultimately leading to potential commission disputes.

 

[Namingfy]

Yes, I realized that after my previous unduly optimistic post about your fake listing being removed. There still appears to be no action whatsoever for either of us.

In my case, I didn't contact Dan to remove it. When I put a name in auction, I agree to give ownership to the first bidder, no matter what the amount is. So, I didn't put it on sale in my other accounts.

Likely, I can still list it under 'make offer', in other platforms, at least to avoid fake listing, in future!

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

Wouldn't having Dan remove the fake listing now potentially save the new owner from the headache of having to do this themselves?
The process, after receiving all the information, apparently can take about 48 hours for removal.

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

After the Dan and Afternic integration which allowed Dan listing to be sold via Afternic - things even got messier.

They permit selling of Dan listed names in Afternic, but, they don't have any verification to tie up MY DAN account with MY AFTERNIC Account. They have verification for 3rd party Dan + DNWE, Dan + Bodis (old parking), Dan + GoDaddy (new parking). But, NO Verification for Dan + Afternic ?!

I was concerned that more fraudulent listings would show up in in either of the marketplaces, as folks removed their listings from the one to simply be either all with Dan or Afternic. It's unclear if there were any protections put in place to prevent the fake listing to proliferate in the process.

At least, at this point, you haven't found the massive problem that our opening poster found, right?! That was a real doozy!

 

[SCP Foundation]

https://www.afternic.com/gdntc1
gdntc1

https://www.afternic.com/aliyuming
aliyuming

These people list about millions of other people's domain on afternic.
When I try to list my domain, it will show that my domain already list by these people. And I need to spend 10 minutes to send them an email and wait for a week if I want to list my domain.

what could someone win in deliberately listing another person's domain ?
the actual owner still have to agree on the transfer for the transaction to be made

 

[domain hacks]

I regularly end up seeing valuable domains at DAN and SEDO selling for a couple of hundreds or thousands. How can you list a domain that is NOT yours?

That sounds like endless money loophole.

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

Frankbdschilling
This account contains buydomains and Frank Schilling domains

Could you clarify this? Are you saying that they are fraudulently listed domains?

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

All I've ever needed for DAN was to have the txt file with my account code and then they auto deleted the other listing and added mine automatically with no intervention. It has worked like that every single time. It works the same way with SEDO. When i prep my names for listing, I add the txt files first, list at AN, Sedo, DAN in that order. Then after the domains are listed in a few minutes I change the name servers to wherever I'm sending them.

Very nice approach, and systematic.

AN is the only place that I have to follow up with. Since my domains are at Godaddy, I just fire off a premade email telling them I won the domain and want to list it but can't. Usually withn 3 days, and getting faster, they have removed the old listing and I can add it. I'd rather have it work like Sedo and DAN.

Sounds like you have an effective strategy to get quick results. Kudos.

I only have to send screenshots to AN when it is on a non-Godaddy service.

Why aren't you just adding DANs text record instead of sending screenshots and emails?

I don't have my domains listed at DAN. They insisted that I send a screen shot to have the fake listing removed.

 

[411domains]

This is the errant listing workaround I've been using for quite awhile.

I should warn you, it is ridiculously easy.

I've been hesitant to share this workaround, because it's extremely efficient when it comes to instantly ending errant Afternic listings. (No calls, no emails, no screenshots, no BS.)

The reason for hesitating is Godaddy has a history of "phasing out" efficient tools and quite frankly, I didn't want it on their radar.

NOTE: This workaround obviously only works with Godaddy registered domains.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/go...afternic-support-needed.1294801/#post-8837784

Hopefully this helps a few of you.

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

NOTE: This workaround obviously only works with Godaddy registered domains.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/go...afternic-support-needed.1294801/#post-8837784

I'm curious if there an issue with GoDaddy not purging domains that have been removed from their system by someone that previously had listed?
Since I found a domain that was being listed for the minimum $20 bid, is it possible that the issue is not a fraudulent seller, but an outdated database?

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

There's a lot they should be doing as well as a lot they shouldn't be doing and that's all I can say about that.

Well, and what is not reassuring is that, despite removing all my domains from Afternic/Dan/GoDaddy, six domains have now showed up again in my registrar account as being Fast Transfer!!! Again, folks, not just once.

So, do they have some serious security problem? Is their Fast Transfer system a risk to finding your portfolio domains disappearing without notice?

Note that I had asked the registrar to remove all the Fast Transfer before, AGAIN when I had no listings whatsoever to my knowledge with the GoDaddy/Aftenic system. They were removed. Now they have showed up again despite no actions on my part related to their system.

Could this be because GoDaddy/Afternic has actually been hacked? That someone is manipulating the Fast Transfer system???

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

As an update, my registrar did finally manage to purge the unexpected "Fast Transfer" recurrent domain listings.
Afternic support also eventually removed the latest fake listings, but claimed that they were old listings. Unfortunately, if that is what their security team is reporting, that is inaccurate. All the listings had been completely removed from their system, and some still seem to keep showing up.

And, I did uncover, on a quick check of several different keywords, that about 20% of their listings were not even registered domains. So, the sellers are apparently trying to get approximately 10-100x's of time more for domains that only the registry owns, not them.

Shame on Afternic, especially after the recent big hack of GoDaddy, to be allowing this continued, openly fraudulent activity, for possibly even 1/5 of the listings on their platform!

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

So why are the Afternic users named in the thread still active? This issue was reported a long time ago and still they get to keep their accounts.

Perhaps because overall Afternic seemed to be a good company, at least in the past?

They do, however, really seem to be missing the ball on this particular problem.And the fact that GoDaddy was recently hacked, to me, does not improve my confidence in dealing with a company with an ongoing, overt problem with their listings.

For myself, I might have continued using them as well, if it weren't for the recurrent unexpected "fast transfer" showing up at my registrar DESPITE ABSOLUTELY NO LISTINGS ON THE AN/GD/DAN SYSTEM. This does not appear to be a problem for others on this thread. From a security standpoint, removing myself completely from the GoDaddy/Dan/Afternic marketplaces made the most sense.

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

The problem is you need an Afternic account to do this, correct?

Adding a txt verification involves using one's own registrar. It can added temporarily for the purposes of initial verification.

If someone uses the direct Afternic listing through their own regstrar, such as Dynadot, it should be completely unnecessary to do removal of unauthorized listings. For GoDaddy auctions or Dan, a verified Afternic custmer needs reassurance that these fraudulent listings are not tolerated and are automatically removed.

 

[branding]

Adding a txt verification involves using one's own registrar. It can added temporarily for the purposes of initial verification.

You really shouldn't be using your registrar's DNS.

It's like sales venues... Why do you think you pay less commission when you're using their DNS ?

It's might be convenient, granted.

However: Data, data and control.

 

[Fka200]

This is interesting, I know of a company who suddenly lost their domain (their whole business up and running on that domain).

Afternic sold the domain with a BIN price (something like $1200), and because it was already registered at GoDaddy, they just did a 'fast transfer' to the buyer's account.

The company claims that they never listed their domain name for sale, especially with a low BIN price.

What I'm now wondering is that if someone were to list YOUR domain with a BIN price, someone bought it (paid that BIN price), would it actually sell and go through 'fast transfer'.

This right here is LITERALLY my biggest fear. I get emails all day telling me I need to confirm on Dynadot so I can list on Afternic even though I did nothing. I lose literal sanity over this. I have one doman that's especially always targeted and it scares the sh1t out of me.

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

I filed a report with the FTC. Once the report was submitted it says:

- Your report will help us in our efforts to protect all consumers. Thank You!
- We can't resolve your individual report, but we use reports to investigate and bring cases against fraud, scams, and bad business practices.
- We share your report with our law enforcement partners who also use reports to investigate and bring cases against fraud, scams, and bad business practices.

So who knows if anything will happen, but I encourage anyone else reading this to also file a complaint with the FTC if these issues impact you.

https: //reportfraud . ftc . gov/ (remove spaces)

I will look into ICANN and see if they have anything similar for submitting concerns.

Thank you for shariing this information. You may have opened the flood gates for others to report their experiences.

Usually these investigative agencies benefit by receiving detailed facts that confirm your complaint. So you may want to see if that can be submitted but still kept confidential. Or, would providing some anonomized data be sufficient?

It's good to see that, by their response on this thread, that GoDaddy is at least still trying to address this proble. Nonetheless, to me it is shocking that the fake listings, even a year later, still apparently remains such a pervasive proiblem.

 

[branding]

But haven't they already listed their portfolios? Verification could be mandatory for new listings only.

Maybe. But verification of ownership should be an ongoing check. Like at least once every week. Scan all listed domains for matching txt/dns records, if negative: delete or put on hold for a few days.

There's nothing preventing them from doing so from a technical pov. Cost is to be neglected.

It's quite easy to do.

It's insane to think we have the power of AI these days but basic things like the matter at hand remain an issue.

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

Some of you may be getting tired of seeing this thread title.
Sadly, the issue may be becoming even more relevant to ongoing listing misdeeds.
Now, there may be an even more disturbing twist.

I had removed all of my Afternic listings directly from my AN account. The domains had been listed there through the Dynadot direct AN listing feature. I even clicked to have the Afternic-Dynadot connection removed. Today, I found that on my Dynadot portfolio, one of the domains was being shown as listed on AN by me. Yes, I checked on AN, and apparently someone had listed one of my domains there, priced higher than what I had listed previously.Dynadot customer support referred me to Afternic to have the spurious listing removed.

The tipping point here, though, is that the fake listing was being propagated to my Dynadot panel as if it was my own. And when I clicked on the AN icon to see the listing on the Dynadot panel, there was a difference that helped me spot this as a fake. THERE WAS NO BUTTON ONTHE FAKE LISTING TO HAVE IT REMOVED.

So, folks, if you are getting unexplained FT approval requests, and are uncertain whether the Dynadot/AN listng is actually yours, check for the button being present that allows you to click to remove it. If it's not there, you can doublecheck directly at Afternic, and spot the imposter.

It is alarming that the owner of a domain can now have an unwanted seller's listing propagated to the actual owner's registrar portfolio vew. And, perhaps even more disturbing is seeing this when the entire Dynadot-Afternic link was supposedly removed.

 

[branding]

Some of you may be getting tired of seeing this thread title.
Sadly, the issue may be becoming even more relevant to ongoing listing misdeeds.
Now, there may be an even more disturbing twist.

I had removed all of my Afternic listings directly from my AN account. The domains had been listed there through the Dynadot direct AN listing feature. I even clicked to have the Afternic-Dynadot connection removed. Today, I found that on my Dynadot portfolio, one of the domains was being shown as listed on AN by me. Yes, I checked on AN, and apparently someone had listed one of my domains there, priced higher than what I had listed previously.Dynadot customer support referred me to Afternic to have the spurious listing removed.

The tipping point here, though, is that the fake listing was being propagated to my Dynadot panel as if it was my own. And when I clicked on the AN icon to see the listing on the Dynadot panel, there was a difference that helped me spot this as a fake. THERE WAS NO BUTTON ONTHE FAKE LISTING TO HAVE IT REMOVED.

So, folks, if you are getting unexplained FT approval requests, and are uncertain whether the Dynadot/AN listng is actually yours, check for the button being present that allows you to click to remove it. If it's not there, you can doublecheck directly at Afternic, and spot the imposter.

It is alarming that the owner of a domain can now have an unwanted seller's listing propagated to the actual owner's registrar portfolio vew. And, perhaps even more disturbing is seeing this when the entire Dynadot-Afternic link was supposedly removed.

@Dynadot ?

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

Generally speaking dan is quite ok. Biggest issue to date I have with dan is that I can add my domains to any random user's portfolio.

There's some scam/security issues with that.

For me, Dan.com has been the worst offender of allowing these unauthorized and unwelcomed listings. There is obviously no attempt on Dan.com's part to mandate verification upfront.

In my opinion, the Dan marketplace, by allowing these rogue sellers to keep doing this, contributes to the impression of sleaziness in the domain-selling industry as a whole. Sad, indeed.

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

As an update, very recently had a batch removed , but today now I am trying to remove about 30 new unauthorized listings. They appear to have been listed on Dan, and propagated to Afternic/GoDaddy.

Dan customer service is slow to respond to the removal request, so I've also asked Afternic to help.

My question to the forum is this. Is there a way to turn this into a positive situation?

The unwanted listings keep happening. There appears to be no interest on Dan or Afternic's part to mandate upfront verification. The usual scheme of the rogue selleris to post the domain for sale for sometimes 5-10x more than the actual seller's asking price.

So, is this one possible scenario as a solution?:

1) The actual owner raises their price on their own marketplace to at least what the rogue seller is asking. And they could even an extra $500+ for an added bonus

2) If someone buys the domain using the Dan or Afternic/Gd unauthorized listing, Gd/Dan/AN still mandates that the rogue seller needs to provide the domain.

3) The rogue seller ends up buying the domain with zero profit or at a loss, and tranfers it to the new buyer. The actual owner gets a decent sale, with the added bonus.

For those of you no longer listing at Dan and Afternic, would this be a reasonable resolution? As long as Gd/AN/Dan mandates that a seller produces the domain they listed, this could be a plus for actual owners with listings elsewhere--ones tired of repeatedly asking for unauthorized listings to be removed?

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

Thank you, @tld4me for your very thoughtful response.

I don't think there is a positive to the situation, unless you want to start selling through Afternic/Dan.

You could do this scenario you describe to play a game with the fraudulent sellers I guess?

The problem is that raising the prices of your domains 5-10x what they are at now is going to possibly turn off a lot of potential buyers.

Actually, I may have been underpricing the domains. I have paid attention to certain ones that they were listing for much higher-- more in line with GoDaddy and Estibot appraisals. That much I have appreciated!

Yes, one could look at this as a "cat and mouse" approach. To me, it's more of a pragmatic approach. Last I read, the terms of use indicates that one is expected to be able to produce the domain being listed. The penalties for not doing so can be severe, including collection agencies and legal action. Well, one need come to that. Simply pay up and complete the transaction!

Since you are already verifying all your domains with Afternic/Dan, you might as well have an account there and control the status of the domains yourself. Then you can unlist from Afternic if you chose not to use them, or price unreasonably high on Dan so you aren't bothered there if you don't want to use them either.

Way not interested! Too many incidents have happened. For one, I'm only interested in marketplaces that mandate ownership verification upfront.

Also, keeping life simple matters. For example,even an honest individual could accidentally have a "fake listing" if they didn't renew or sold off and didn't delete their domain. The advantage of a registrar marketplace is the built-in protections for that. And, for simplicity sake, I'd just as well have someone searching for my domain not get distracted by hunting on various platforms. As Bob Hawkes pointed out, even with one price on your FT listings, each of the affiliates can present significantly different prices.

Right now, I prefer the simplicity of one marketplace.