
Every time you search for a domain on Network Solutions, they register it themselves. - nickb
http://www.networksolutionssucksballs.com/
======
nickb
Here, do some automated searching. Save as ns.rb and run as "ruby ns.rb" or do
a +x...

\----- cut here -----

    
    
       #!/usr/bin/env ruby -w
       require 'rubygems'
       require 'mechanize'
       require 'digest/md5'
    
       search_form = WWW::Mechanize.new.get("http://www.networksolutions.com/").forms.first
       search_field = search_form.fields.name("domainNames").first
    
       1.upto 50 do |i|
           puts search_field.value = "#{Digest::MD5.hexdigest("#{rand(9999999999)}")}.com"
           search_form.submit
       end

~~~
timr
This won't do anything but load their server slightly. They're using the 5-day
cancellation rule, so they don't actually pay for the domains that they
reserve.

~~~
mynameishere
Could be wrong here, but the point is to draw enough attention so that the
refund policy is changed.

~~~
timr
Yeah, but why would this help? Unless you can hurt their bottom line, you're
unlikely to change their behavior.

~~~
bkbleikamp
If a few thousand people run this server a day or two before Q1 ends they'll
have to explain to the press why they missed earnings projections by so much

------
daniel-cussen
A letter to the ICANN, courtesy of Network Systems:

[http://www.dear-international-corporation-for-assigned-
name-...](http://www.dear-international-corporation-for-assigned-name-and-
numbers.com) [s-and-numbers.com]

<http://www.i-couldnt-help-notice-that-network-solutions.com>

<http://www.buys-every-site-that-i-search.com>

[http://www.they-say-they-are-trustworthy-and-reliable-
though...](http://www.they-say-they-are-trustworthy-and-reliable-though.com)
[.com]

<http://www.they-say-so-right-on-their-front-page.com>

[http://www.you-have-to-scroll-down-a-bit-to-see-it-
though.co...](http://www.you-have-to-scroll-down-a-bit-to-see-it-though.com)
[m]

<http://www.anyway-could-you-please-help-us-out.com>

<http://www.so-we-dont-have-to-keep-giving-our-dot.com>

<http://www.businesses-silly-names-like-kuubite.com>

<http://www.that-take-ten-minutes-to-spell-out.com>

<http://www.and-hinder-word-of-mouth-growth.com>

<http://www.which-is-kind-of-lame.com>

[http://www.pretty-please-with-sugar-on-top-please-help-us-
ou...](http://www.pretty-please-with-sugar-on-top-please-help-us-
out.com)[t.com]

<http://www.yours-truly-daniel-cussen.com>

------
greendestiny
Hopefully this exposure will seriously hurt their business, but I think ICANN
is responsible for failing to administer the assignment of names
appropriately. There should be no refundable period and applications like this
made in bad faith should lose network solutions their accreditation.

~~~
drubio
An opportunistic leech already registered this domain, so seeing this domain
doesn't really show much, except a bunch of ads.

The point is that after you search for a domain at netsol.com, you get a
Network Solutions landing page: "This Domain is available - Get it Now!", they
effectively squat every domain that's searched -- for presumably a 5-day
refundable period -- and in the process lock-out every other registrar from
selling it.

Here is another domain which is mentioned in the comment thread:
<http://networksolutionssucksballs.com/> , someone searched for the name and
it already has a Network Solutions landing page, and though you can buy it,
its 'taken' if you try to buy it from another(cheaper) registrar.

You can try it out yourself, it takes around 15 minutes after you searched a
domain for them to register it and appear with a NetSol landing page, instead
of timing out.

And BTW, the person that bought the
youguysseriouslyregistereverythingisearch.com domain to squeeze some Adsense
clicks while its making headlines is registered to:

Campbell, Susan susankcampbell@live.com 2085 Ryder Avenue Everett, WA 98201 US
425.3177143

------
gscott
Here is the Network Solutions official response:

Dear George Scott,

Thank you for contacting Network Solutions Customer Service Department. We are
committed to creating the best Customer experience possible. One of the first
ways we can demonstrate our commitment to this goal is to quickly and
efficiently address your recent request.

We want to make sure that our customers do not lose the domain name to
disreputable individuals (or entities) that snatch up domains after a domain
search has been made. Network Solutions, along with many other registrars have
received numerous customer complaints of domain names being registered by
someone else, typically outside of the United States, just minutes or hours
after someone else has conducted a domain name search at a registrar site,
performed a WHOIS query, or typed a domain in the browser to see if there is
an active Web site. The industry calls this practice domain name "Front
Running."

To thwart the efforts of these sneaky individuals, Network Solutions reserves
unregistered domains for up to four days from the date they are searched on
our Web site. This customer protection feature provides our customers the
opportunity to register names at a later date without fear that the name will
be registered by the "Front Runners." If the domain you searched is available
and one that you really want, we suggest that you register it immediately to
ensure that you will not lose the name.

Please do not respond to this E-mail. If you have any additional questions,
you can reach us via e-mail by completing our online form at
[http://www.networksolutions.com/en_US/help/service-
request.j...](http://www.networksolutions.com/en_US/help/service-
request.jhtml) or by phone at 1-888-642-9675 and provide Service Request #
1-321287601.

Thank you for choosing Network Solutions.

Sincerely,

Arlan001 Network Solutions Technical Support Specialist

(c) Copyright 2008 Network Solutions, LLC. All rights reserved.

~~~
sethjohn
To protect our valued customers from the dastardly practice of "Front
Running", we engage in exactly this practice but do not refer to it as "Front
Running" when we do it.

------
gsiener
I had the same idea for a patent searching site...

------
staunch
If they still let you register it for the same price that you'd get initially
it seems significantly less evil than flat out stealing it. It's still evil
though, because they're reserving domain names so other registrars can't offer
them.

~~~
nickb
Have you looked at their pricing chart?

[http://www.networksolutions.com/domain-name-
registration/pri...](http://www.networksolutions.com/domain-name-
registration/pricing-chart.jsp)

These folks charge $34.99 for a .com per year! Godaddy charges $9.99.

------
jakewolf
So how to we file a complaint with the FTC? Definitely some false advertising
going on "This Domain is Available - Get it Now!"

How about a contest to see who can get them to register the funniest name?

Has this happened to anyone else?

~~~
palish
I'd vote for <http://theguyinthepictothebottomrightfucksonthefirstdate.com>

------
marcus
The question is do they let you purchase the domain after they automatically
register it?

If they do, this can simply be a very effective automatic reservation of
pages, so they don't get grabbed while you fill in your personal info/credit
card info.

If not then this really sucks.

~~~
bluelu
They do. And they don't put any ads on the domains, and give the domain back
to the pool after 5 days.

It's a fair deal to save you from the unwanted domaingrabbing through whois!

------
jakewolf
Hah! networksolutionspissedonmyprivacy.com

~~~
zemaj
Good one.

I went for the predictable; <http://networksolutionssucksballs.com/>

------
DanielBMarkham
I've been complaining about this for over two years.

It's just an ugly business practice. NSI should be drummed out of the market
with a policy like that. What's next? hold the domain and put it up for
auction?

------
indie01
I like pcnames:

<http://www.pcnames.com/>

because it utilizes some nifty JavaScript, a kind of "search as you type"
method regarding inquiries of domain names. It also (claims that it) doesn't
log or record those queries.

That Network Solutions leeches queries and then charges $34.99 per year for
registration is also insane. (Testing:) It really is quite unfortunate that
they're @ number one of the list for a google search RE "domain name
registration". . .

I guess there's always the BBB.

------
paddy
You could make them lose money on this.

1.Search for a lot of domains that no one will ever go to
(aebubibabaabaabaabba.com). 2.Hit the domain a lot of times, follow links 3\.
network solutions will register the domain, pay their money, and no one will
ever go to the site.

I wonder if there are safe guards, ie the program can only spend $50,000 a day
to register domains. To give network solutions the least lead time, it would
be best to flood the websites at the end of the 5 day period.

------
estherschindler
They're standing behind the decision, too: <http://www.cio.com/article/170950>
After Furor, Network Solutions Stands by Name Policy Network Solutions says it
will take steps to better notify customers of its controversial policy of
temporarily registering domain name searches.

------
nreece
Network Solutions sucks! GoDaddy follows the same path. I moved to NameCheap
(recommended) for a better service.

~~~
b3n
NameCheap is just an eNom reseller.

------
dreish
What are they going to do next? Resolve all failed DNS lookups to their paid
search engine?*

*This was done by VeriSign, but at the time, VeriSign owned Network Solutions.

------
daniel-cussen
I had a feeling this could be done to exploit people...

I'm going to try searching a few dumb domains to get them to lose money in
ICANN registration fees.

~~~
coffeeaddicted
They don't lose money on that. They just cancel each registration after 5 days
and get full refund.

~~~
dreish
I think the point is more that they never pay. If they were actually paying
and then getting their money back, they really would lose money on this (in
float), and it would be easy enough to write a script that would make them run
out of money.

~~~
daniel-cussen
Exactly. They would lose 5 days' interest on the money, and more importantly,
whatever money they alloted to this scheme would be exhausted quickly. Then
they wouldn't be able to keep doing this.

------
michaelneale
Well I was wondering how long that would take to happen. (thought about that
dirty trick years ago and hoped no one ever did it).

------
juanpablo
And look! The domain tyhrwqblknklnlkandasdasdasd.co.uk is taken! /www.upload-
images.net/imagen/357846aac7.png (and it wasn't me)

------
kirse
Network Solutions has now become the world's largest domain squatter. They're
really going to eat it after this mess up.

------
alaskamiller
someone smart figured out how to get a lot of clicks on ads!

------
Mistone
pretty shady - something I've always wondered about - thanks for cracking it
open.

