Domain issues
Folks, I don’t know how much longer this blog will be around. The domain registration is/was up sometime in the past few days/this weekend and I’m fighting with the domain registrar. Apparently, some company put in a bid on the domain and purchased it (I don’t know how that’s possible). I’m trying to get it back, but they tell me that if I’m not successful, the domain will transfer to the new owner sometime next week. I’ll keep you guys posted. Thanks.
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about 2 years ago
Sounds dodgy as hell, they really shouldn’t be allowed to do this. From the looks of your WHOIS info you’re with GoDaddy, which is unfortunate as they’re known for not being the best company, but even so…
See this for how domains expire/drop:
http://www.mikeindustries.com/blog/archive/2005/03/how-to-snatch-an-expiring-domain
As you can see, within the 40 day grace period you should be able to renew for a standard fee. After that, it’s the 100 day period which should *still* allow you to renew, only now they get to charge a premium.
If this *is* a legitimate mail from GoDaddy (do check that the email headers, etc. are actually from GoDaddy and not an opportunistic impersonator), they’re being entirely unscrupulous and acting outside of their boundaries as an ICANN member. They are *not* allowed to do this, at least as far as I’m aware.
Feel free to get in touch and I’ll see what I can do to assist.
about 2 years ago
Thanks for the info. I’m going to try and contact this company/individual to see what’s going on.
about 2 years ago
I’d be very conscious that it could be a scammer: your domain expiration information is public so people will know when it’s about to time out, and as a result you’ll occasionally get official sounding e-mails from companies trying to con you.
If you have the original e-mails, can you mail me the headers? To do this, assuming you’re using a Mac and Mail.app:
Select the mail in the message pane list.
Go to View, Message, Raw Source.
Copy all this and paste it to a text document, then mail it to me and I’ll take a look, see if it looks dodgy.
Oh, you originally registered the domain through GoDaddy directly, correct?
about 2 years ago
Oh, just a quick correction, the timing is as follows:
30 day grace period
40 day redemption period
5 day deletion phase
75 days total before the domain becomes publicly available.
about 2 years ago
Hah, I’ll get it right eventually:
40 day grace
30 redemption
5 day deletion
Sorry for the multitude of comments, Gideon – it’s past midnight here and I should really be in bed! Please correct/edit/delete as necessary.
about 2 years ago
Some asshole put in a bid for your site? Was probably a prosecutor.
about 2 years ago
We’ll see how it goes. Hopefully it’s not an issue.
about 2 years ago
If you registered through GoDaddy (Whois says you did), you got a scam email. GoDaddy, as pointed out above, is too big to go for, or allow, the sort of gimmick that was pulled by Patterico’s former registrar. They do their business on volume, and have too much to lose by providing poor service to existing customers.
I agree that someone is probably trying to scam you.
about 2 years ago
Meaning, and I probably could have been more clear, that if GoDaddy is your registrar, you’re fine. I think highly of GoDaddy, as do most of its customers. GD is an old business, in internet terms, and won’t wreck its profits by playing games with people.
about 2 years ago
I’m with Patrick here Gid. Much as I hate godaddy for cetain things (as you already know), they are very good about notifying customers of impending renewals, mostly because that’s how they make money.
If you need a hand, let me know. I’ve got my own person inside godaddy who services my blog and will pull whatever strings I can to help you stay in business. After all, where we would be without you?
about 2 years ago
I concur. I had a vanity domain on GoDaddy and practically had to commit Seppuku in front of the CEO to drop it. No way you could be cyber squatted if they had a good email contact for you. I’d check this very carefully.
about 2 years ago
I hope the others (who know ever so much more that I) are correct. Nonsense.
about 2 years ago
Heh. Oddly, the company that put in the bid recognizes their position, but they made me an offer to buy the domain. Part of some acquisition spree they’re on, I guess, buying up blogs and what-not.