
Does GoDaddy register domains you search? - alexjawad
Hi,<p>Some time ago, I did a few tests on GoDaddy on available domain names and after some creative options, I came up with one that I liked.<p>I then compared the name with some other options against my targeted market and it turned out really popular. During the survey period, I checked the name a couple of times on GoDaddy to make sure it's still available. So when I today go to purchase the domain, hear hear, it is already taken. And WHOIS it if not GoDaddy owned company Domain's By Proxy?<p>Is this just a coincindence?
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Urgo
This is why I always use the command line 'whois' tool to look for domain
names. I don't trust the registrars.

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ffumarola
Interesting, I actually posted this to someone 9 days ago:
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2292453>

Here was my comment:

I'm not sure who doesn't do it. I just try to go to the domain and see if
there is any server side activity (error page, holding page, etc).

From Wikipedia: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_tasting>

"By February 2007, the CEO of Go Daddy reported that of 55.1 million domain
names registered, 51.5 million were canceled and refunded just before the 5
day grace period expired and only 3.6 million domain names were actually
kept."

"In January 2008, Network Solutions was publicly accused of this practice when
the company began reserving all domain names searched on their website for
five days,[7] a practice known as domain name front running."

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bmelton
As I just posted elsewhere in this thread -- the "go to the domain" idea is
also flawed, in that ISPs sell that information to would-be domain squatters
as well.

It's perhaps slower than losing it to a registrar, but it's no safer.

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ffumarola
What is the safe way? I genuinely am interested so I know how to proceed in
the future.

I've NEVER had a domain snagged from me by going directly to the domain (even
when I wound up registering it a week or two later). I've had a domain taken
from me multiple times by the domain registration sites... sometimes within a
few hours.

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bricestacey
If the domain is for sale, visiting the page will bump its value.

You should just query the WHOIS database. At least, that's what I do.

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pegmanm
The process of front running or domain tasting 'should' be a thing of the
past. Last year or perhaps 2009 ICANN imposed strict fees on any registrar
that pulled more than 10% of their monthly registrations in the first 5 days.
Obviously this only counts for ICANN TLDs and not ccTLDs.

So... When you register a domain the registrar has to pay the registry
com/net/org etc immediately. The registry will return the registration fees
for any domains that are canceled. However if a registrar has >10% or their
total monthly registrations cancelled within the 5 day grace, they do not get
that money back.

This has essentially ended these practices.

HTH

Full Disclosure: I used to work for a registry.

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bigohms
Yes, but it doesn't stop with registrars. Certain large ISPs front run on
domains that don't exist by recording domain names that don't resolve or
exist, then trial register them while sending you to their 404 link bait
landing page. We only go to the registrar when we want to buy, otherwise its
whois in the terminal.

For interesting results, whois google.com

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daimyoyo
It is a coincidence. When I registered 1every.com, it was about 4 months
between when I came up with the name and when I finally registered it. I
looked the domain up at least a dozen times from several different computers
and the domain was still available when I went to get it. There is a very
important lesson here though. Now whenever I have an idea for a domain and it
turns out to be available, I register it immediately. Worst case scenario is I
lock up $10 until I can find a buyer for the domain and best case is I have
the domain I want when I'm ready to use it. Also, domains by proxy is the
company godaddy uses for private registration. My domain is registered under
them if you who.is it.

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MichaelStubbs
If I remember correctly, Network Solutions does this as well.

Edit: Apparently there's a name for this practice.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name_front_running>

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alexjawad
Thanks for the link!

Since a huge chunk of the identity of businesses is their homepage, coming up
with a great name (or several, so you can test them) that also has an
available .com-address is probably the biggest headache in branding in my
opinion.

Shouldn't this be controlled better? Shouldn't it even be illegal?

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godaddy
alexjawad,

There's no way for me to tell if it is truly a coincidence or not (especially
without knowing the domain name), but I do want to let you know that Go Daddy
absolutely does not participate in what is known as "domain front running". We
have reviewed the domain name search system we have in place and are confident
it is extremely secure. In other words, though there are potential
explanations for what you experienced (including plain old coincidence), it is
not the result of Go Daddy monitoring a domain search and registering the name
before you could.

We encourage you and any other user to search for domains using our domain
name search and/or WHOIS search system, and we would recommend NOT "searching"
for a domain by simply typing it into your browser to see if a site resolves.
In addition, you should maintain up-to-date protection on your computer to
prevent malware/spyware that may infect it. And finally, we concur with others
in this thread - as soon as you know you want a domain, register it
immediately to avoid the possibility of someone else grabbing it first.

If you have other questions about our services, please feel free to contact
GoDaddy.com Customer Support. They are available 24/7/365; contact info is
here: <http://x.co/Tz4q>

As always, thank you for choosing GoDaddy.com.

Alon GoDaddy.com Social Media

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cloudsigma
A test along the lines of the one conducted by Google against Bing would
reveal the correct situation. Essentially 'seed' the registrar with some crazy
domains that no-one would want (google did this with unique searches) and
wait. This would be particularly effective against less popular domains which
gain less interest to begin with.

If you see any of these zero value domains get registered you have your
answer, or at least a very high confidence in your initial assumption.

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riskish
I think this is a coincidence. It would be quite an unethical service to let
users search for possible domains and then steal them before we have a chance
to register them because they identified it as being valuable.

That's not to say they don't register and own their own, but using your
entries as a gauge to see if they want to register something is pretty
unethical for a registrar I'd think, even for godaddy :).

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techvibe
I think it is not a coincidence. I have experienced this a few times with
other providers.

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domlee7
On a related note, in addition to this domain name front running, who can I
turn to, if I want to purchase a domain name anonymously (so my public info
isn't obvious).

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sagacity
Something called a 'Private Registration' is offered by most domain
registrars. It'll cost you a few extra $, but you _will_ get _total_ privacy
in terms of Whois.

-HTH

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lothar
This actually happened to me, and the domain name was registered within the
hour I searched it up. I definitely believe this happens, which is why I will
immediately purchase a domain name I like. I won't take any chances.

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alexjawad
In that case, it's outrageous! What provider should one use to securely search
for available domain names?

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brk
I use whois from a command prompt. Most of my registrations are done through
enom. I avoid GoDaddy at all costs.

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euroclydon
Whatever WHOIS server your network resolves is not necessarily on the up and
up either.

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dotme
I had an experience with the same. In frustration, I even mailed the guy who
purchased it.

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tnorthcutt
I've heard of that happening, and a quick Google search pulls up many reports
of it.

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ferostar
This is insane and a not widely known fact, this question should be upvoted.

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sushumna
Whoa!! I had the same experience and I too felt that "what if some one is
registering the domain we are searching for availability?" They are doing
something like patent Trolling. when I wanted to register one with ".me" all
names I was looking for are blocked for auction.why the hell they have to do
auction, it should be FCFS.

