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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Upstate, NY
    Posts
    85

    Domain available, next day, someone bought it

    I've had this happen multiple times. I've searched for a domain on BlueRazor (GoDaddy sister company), found a domain I lied, then the next day decide to buy it only to find someone snagged it.

    I realize that GoDaddy/BlueRazor makes a request to find out if a domain is available. What I'm wondering is if there is some way that unscrupulous entities can snipe the domain.

    In looking for an answer, I've read about reports of registrars stealing really good names and then jump straight to domain squatting. I don't know if any reports were valid in that case, but the whole thing sucks when you spend hours thinking of a great name and when you give it some time find it gone.

    Mind you, I'm talking about domain names that appear to never have been registered before.

    So, what is the deal, are there cases that shown such activities can and do take place?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    573
    The first thing I'd do is run a whois query and check where the domain is registered and who did it. It could just be possible that someone else wanted the domain as well.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    442
    In regards to the opening thread, it is also quite possible that the domain was actually already registered but that the query that was provided was not updated. There have been times when I made attempts to purchase a domain name and I was allowed to purchase it but later it was refunded due to being a failed registration. Sometimes the queries are incorrect and the registrar gives you the impression that a domain is available when in actuality it's not.
    There are many places you can go to Make an Email Address that is reliable and secure.
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  4. #4
    Some registrars snatch domains if you search for them. It is unethical, but it happens. Though I've never seen proof of this.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Lynx54 View Post
    Some registrars snatch domains if you search for them. It is unethical, but it happens. Though I've never seen proof of this.
    Then...why share here something no one has seen proven?

    I realize that believing such a negative thing or some conspiracy theory is easier. Beats me, however, how that changes anything or helps anybody.

    One thing that perhaps helps is that a Go Daddy manager blogged about this thing years ago. The blog post is no longer available, but below is a (not-so perfect) cached copy:

    https://web.archive.org/web/20130826...ebunking-myth/

    Whether or not anybody wants to consider, more so believe, the above post is up to that person.

    Unfortunately, Exitof99, no one can really tell you for sure other than speculate. Moving forward, you best be ready to search and then register the name on the spot rather than hope it stays available (which no registrar can guarantee, anyway).

    Or, one other site I have been using for years without fail is iwhois.com (not mine). Sometimes I wonder why this thing hasn't happened to me at all, he he.

  6. #6
    Domain names are so important. It can make or break a company's success. So if you've got your eye on a good domain name (which is not easy to find), chances are someone else is eyeing it too.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Posts
    53

    *

    Quote Originally Posted by Lynx54 View Post
    Some registrars snatch domains if you search for them. It is unethical, but it happens. Though I've never seen proof of this.
    This is really bad and we must be really careful when choosing the registrar for registering a domain. How are the safest registrars?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    4,667
    Quote Originally Posted by Exitof99 View Post
    I've had this happen multiple times. I've searched for a domain on BlueRazor (GoDaddy sister company), found a domain I lied, then the next day decide to buy it only to find someone snagged it.
    What is the domain name? I keep hearing reports of this but nobody ever provides the domain name to back it up.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    /root
    Posts
    162
    It has happened to me personally, for my blog. I wanted a news domain, i searched on godaddy, it was available, the next day, i went to order for it, it was unavailable.

    That happened about two years ago
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  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Victorious View Post
    It has happened to me personally, for my blog. I wanted a news domain, i searched on godaddy, it was available, the next day, i went to order for it, it was unavailable.

    That happened about two years ago
    a lot of times that happens. You should cross check with different registrars or do a WHOIS lookup on the domain. I've seen several domains show up as available that were registered months ago.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Upstate, NY
    Posts
    85
    Quote Originally Posted by Techno View Post
    What is the domain name? I keep hearing reports of this but nobody ever provides the domain name to back it up.
    I don't want to reveal the domain name, but it was kind of out there, not exactly the first thing that would come to mind. To be fair, though, it appears it was once registered in 2009 as archive.org has a blip on it (only one which doesn't load).

    The person who bought it was in Vietnam, and for a year it had nothing on the website. I instead bought the .net version of the domain name.

    11 months after the domain was registered, I received two separate emails offering to sell the domain to me. I don't know if these were scammers pretending to own the domain, but I've not seen such offers come in before for my other domains.

    Then, the site became an affiliate site, serving only to resemble a real shop and instead directs traffic to the merchant site.

    Once that was set up, someone sold the site/domain via flippa.com for $70.

    So in essence, someone bought it with the idea of selling it.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Upstate, NY
    Posts
    85
    Quote Originally Posted by NomNoms View Post
    a lot of times that happens. You should cross check with different registrars or do a WHOIS lookup on the domain. I've seen several domains show up as available that were registered months ago.
    I understand how that can happen, but in my case, I doubt it. I had speny a day researching potential domain names, including doing Google searches for the domains to make sure they didn't have a previous history that I'd rather not associate with.

    This domain, in particular, had very limited results in Google, and still does. Currently, there are 2,340 results for the domain name in quotes. I swear I was sniped, though I'm not sure how.

    Maybe packet sniffing happens along the route, maybe there is a "recently searched domain names" list somewhere that ICANN registrars can access. I don't know, so if anyone has any insight in to this possible phenomenon which demonstrates that it is indeed a risk, I'd sure like to know.

    Now, if I even think of a domain name which I may not even ever use, I buy it and then if I don't want it, can release it or sell it.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    4,667
    Quote Originally Posted by Exitof99 View Post
    Now, if I even think of a domain name which I may not even ever use, I buy it and then if I don't want it, can release it or sell it.
    Some registrars allow you to cancel and get a refund within 5 days. Check back in 5 days and see if the new registarnt has canceled it.

    https://support.godaddy.com/help/art.../refund-policy
    New Domain Name Registrations (including .DONUTS). Refundable if canceled and processed within five days of registration (120 hours).

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    349
    This has happened to me twice so now i ALWAYS buy the domain name right away.

  15. #15
    Has this happened to any of you with a domain register other than GoDaddy? for example, Namecheap or other?

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    4,667
    Quote Originally Posted by JakeMS View Post
    Has this happened to any of you with a domain register other than GoDaddy? for example, Namecheap or other?
    GoDaddy will have the most complaints (about anything) just because of their sheer size. GoDaddy is the largest registrar with 32% of all registrations and Enom is number two at 8%. Namecheap is an Enom reseller with approx 60% of Enom registrations and 5% of all registrations.

    These search hijackings have been reported for years, and many times in this thread, but I have yet to see anyone back it up with an example and domain name. Until that happens its as credible as a chupacabra or UFO report.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Upstate, NY
    Posts
    85
    The sad thing is, if the two emails that tried to sell the domain to me, one was for $20. Really? Buy a domain just to flip it for $10 profit? Well, I guess that is a chance to double your investment, and doubling is a good factor for profit.

    And in the end, they sold the domain complete with an affiliate site installed for $70. As much as I didn't want to reward them for taking the domain I was about to register, it was my fault for sleeping on it and not just buying it.

    Lesson learned, just buy it. And as Techno mentioned, you may be able to cancel the order within 5 days if you decide you don't want it.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    59

    Domain available, next day, someone bought it

    With domain names, there is no guarantee of being available the next day since there could be several people around the world who might find value in the same domain. My suggestion would be that if you like a Domain Name and it's available, go ahead and register it instantaneously.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by i7Grendel View Post
    The first thing I'd do is run a whois query and check where the domain is registered and who did it. It could just be possible that someone else wanted the domain as well.
    This is the first thing I would do too and yes with domain names there is no guarantee whatsoever.

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