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I repeatedly tried to buy a domain on Sunday and the connection kept timing out. So I got bored and decided to try again another day. It is now Wednesday and some domain collection company has bought the domain I was going for, (despite it being fairly obscure), only to try and sell it to me for a large fee!
Is there any way they could have known what domain I have been looking for, maybe by monitoring whois searches? I don't suppose so, but it seems completely stupid that this could have happened. Surely they can't just go around randomly buying domains only to sell them on to people for more money? There should be a law against that jipness.
Is there any way they could have known what domain I have been looking for, maybe by monitoring whois searches? I don't suppose so, but it seems completely stupid that this could have happened. Surely they can't just go around randomly buying domains only to sell them on to people for more money? There should be a law against that jipness.
There are companies who watch for whois lookups, we have had problems with them before. Unfortunatly the procedurre to get a name back requires going to ICANN and logging loads of forms and paying them lots of money and in the end they always side with big companies (not that I think they are corrupt or anything). I suggest buying the name with a different ending. .biz and .info are out for pre-registration now so you could try one of those.
The company that bought it is domainCollection.com - their name kind of gives away what they do. I searched for available domains through freeola/getdotted, and tried to buy it through them too.
It's annoying that "domain collection" bought it so soon after I was going to buy it, and I am extremely suspicious of how this company operate. It seems it's unlikely they knew what domain I was searching for as I did it through freeola, but I can tell you that the URL had possibly up to 100 hits (including refreshes) from people who expected me to have bought the domain that day (I was going to but the connection kept timing out). Could it be that they can find out which domains people are hitting and use that to decide which ones to buy?
I know it sounds stupid, but they can't just go around buying random collections of letters - they must have some sort of system.
I'm not too annoyed now though, I have successfully bought a .uk domain since there were no similar international ones available. We did originally want an international one, but hey it saved £20!
It's annoying that "domain collection" bought it so soon after I was going to buy it, and I am extremely suspicious of how this company operate. It seems it's unlikely they knew what domain I was searching for as I did it through freeola, but I can tell you that the URL had possibly up to 100 hits (including refreshes) from people who expected me to have bought the domain that day (I was going to but the connection kept timing out). Could it be that they can find out which domains people are hitting and use that to decide which ones to buy?
I know it sounds stupid, but they can't just go around buying random collections of letters - they must have some sort of system.
I'm not too annoyed now though, I have successfully bought a .uk domain since there were no similar international ones available. We did originally want an international one, but hey it saved £20!
there's also easily.co.uk, their domains are cheaper if you buy just one, but there hosting packages do cost you, and ain't as good as Freeola...
... I registered a name with them, for £10 2 years, and transfered it to my Freeola space. easily.co.uk don't charge for a trasfer, but Freeola did, £10, so if your planning to host any names with Freeola, use getdotted.
... I registered a name with them, for £10 2 years, and transfered it to my Freeola space. easily.co.uk don't charge for a trasfer, but Freeola did, £10, so if your planning to host any names with Freeola, use getdotted.
TrevUK wrote:
> ...some domain collection company has bought the
> domain I was going for, (despite it being fairly
> obscure), only to try and sell it to me for a large
> fee!
Fact of Internet life - some hosters deliberately register any domain people show an interest when you do a whois seach just so they can try to charge you more. Avoid those companies like the plague. Once registered, there is nothing you can do about it unless a) you have already registered the name as a company name and b) you have lots of money to give to lawyers.
getdotted is now the only company I trust when looking up domain availability.
Chris.
> ...some domain collection company has bought the
> domain I was going for, (despite it being fairly
> obscure), only to try and sell it to me for a large
> fee!
Fact of Internet life - some hosters deliberately register any domain people show an interest when you do a whois seach just so they can try to charge you more. Avoid those companies like the plague. Once registered, there is nothing you can do about it unless a) you have already registered the name as a company name and b) you have lots of money to give to lawyers.
getdotted is now the only company I trust when looking up domain availability.
Chris.
Why don't you name the company .....
Name squatters don't do it for ordinary people though, as they usually don't have any money and don't need the name that bad. What was the domain, anyway?
Shame I know, but thats just how some things tun out.
...though I'm sure it's possible to find out what names are being looked up, depending on who you use to search names, I mean for example, Special Reserve could have a thing in there getdotte lokup Script that makes a note of the names looked up.... though I'm sure they don't, less trustworthy companies could do, and like you've experienced, bought the name, and tried to sell it.
So, who bought it then, the same company you looked it up with???
...though I'm sure it's possible to find out what names are being looked up, depending on who you use to search names, I mean for example, Special Reserve could have a thing in there getdotte lokup Script that makes a note of the names looked up.... though I'm sure they don't, less trustworthy companies could do, and like you've experienced, bought the name, and tried to sell it.
So, who bought it then, the same company you looked it up with???
I think there is some kind of law against 'name squatting' (as it's called), but not sure how easy it is to get it enforced. It also varies depending on *where* it was registered.
Not sure if people are monitoring NIC lookups, but I'm sure it's not impossible.
You're *supposed* to have a valid claim to the name if you wish to claim a domain - i.e. it may be your name (see http://serverpool.reserve.co.uk/news/story.php?id=1059 for an example).
If your domain is 'obscure' but relates to your name, you may have a case. Otherwise, it may be better to think of another, or modify it slightly using hyphens etc.
I have a strong dislike of name-squatting companies, and I wish they could all be closed down. Things like My Own Email and other free e-mail services gobble up hundreds of popular domain names, then try to sell them at extotionate prices. Even our beloved SR is guilty of it to an extent!
Not sure if people are monitoring NIC lookups, but I'm sure it's not impossible.
You're *supposed* to have a valid claim to the name if you wish to claim a domain - i.e. it may be your name (see http://serverpool.reserve.co.uk/news/story.php?id=1059 for an example).
If your domain is 'obscure' but relates to your name, you may have a case. Otherwise, it may be better to think of another, or modify it slightly using hyphens etc.
I have a strong dislike of name-squatting companies, and I wish they could all be closed down. Things like My Own Email and other free e-mail services gobble up hundreds of popular domain names, then try to sell them at extotionate prices. Even our beloved SR is guilty of it to an extent!
I repeatedly tried to buy a domain on Sunday and the connection kept timing out. So I got bored and decided to try again another day. It is now Wednesday and some domain collection company has bought the domain I was going for, (despite it being fairly obscure), only to try and sell it to me for a large fee!
Is there any way they could have known what domain I have been looking for, maybe by monitoring whois searches? I don't suppose so, but it seems completely stupid that this could have happened. Surely they can't just go around randomly buying domains only to sell them on to people for more money? There should be a law against that jipness.
Is there any way they could have known what domain I have been looking for, maybe by monitoring whois searches? I don't suppose so, but it seems completely stupid that this could have happened. Surely they can't just go around randomly buying domains only to sell them on to people for more money? There should be a law against that jipness.