Has GoDaddy Ever Stolen Your Domain?

[socialmediaking]

I went to register a domain, searched for it on godaddy, but then decided i wanted to register it with namecheap instead.

Somehow when I went to go register it, it was then taken.

The whois is literally from the same day and everything.

I've heard sketchy things about GoDaddy before so I am curious, is this just coincidence or is something more nefarious going on here?

 

[charlie3]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't GoDaddy "own" the domain names and then sell them to you. So maybe you couldn't get that specific domain at Namecheap, but only at GoDaddy.

I thought that went on, but I could be totally wrong. Just my 2 cents

 

[fiesta]

I never heard of them doing that. What I did hear however is them blocking accounts for all kinds of reasons and people losing serious domains.

I went to register a domain, searched for it on godaddy, but then decided i wanted to register it with namecheap instead.

Somehow when I went to go register it, it was then taken.

The whois is literally from the same day and everything.

I've heard sketchy things about GoDaddy before so I am curious, is this just coincidence or is something more nefarious going on here?

 

[socialmediaking]

I've heard of that too, but I wonder if it's possible I have some sort of cookie or something on my system where they can see if I search a domain with them and then leave to another registrar, or if they temporarily register it (which I've heard some sites used to do).

Do you know of any examples of domains that have been seized?

I never heard of them doing that. What I did hear however is them blocking accounts for all kinds of reasons and people losing serious domains.

 

[BassTrackerBoats]

I went to register a domain, searched for it on godaddy, but then decided i wanted to register it with namecheap instead.

Somehow when I went to go register it, it was then taken.

The whois is literally from the same day and everything.

I've heard sketchy things about GoDaddy before so I am curious, is this just coincidence or is something more nefarious going on here?

Godaddy has that reputation... so much so that their face is on the Post Ofice wall.

 

[CyrusVirus]

yeah.. they have taken a few domains that i went to register.

 

[socialmediaking]

how would someone get proof? this isn't the first time this has happened to me. Is it possible they do something like using search but not purchased domains as suggestions for other people with similar terms? Or anything like that?

yeah.. they have taken a few domains that i went to register.

 

[BassTrackerBoats]

how would someone get proof? this isn't the first time this has happened to me. Is it possible they do something like using search but not purchased domains as suggestions for other people with similar terms? Or anything like that?

Proof?

What difference does it make?

Seriously, they do this all the time and it is perfectly legal.

When I am checking out new domains, I use another company
and then buy from Godaddy using one of the available coupons
if I am going to use them.

 

[CyrusVirus]

i checked the whois on the domain, it came back to a wierd company, but not godaddy, i checked the whois of that company and it came back as godaddy.
so, do the research.. techinically its not stealing,

 

[jmm223]

I have heard plenty of stories about this, but it has never happened to me.
I would think that if it was really happening, someone would have setup a sting operation and officially outed them by now.

I have had nothing but good transactions on godaddy.
Especially when they have great coupon deals like $1 domains using coupon code PRESIDENT

 

[dillfly2000]

I went to register a domain, searched for it on godaddy, but then decided i wanted to register it with namecheap instead.

Somehow when I went to go register it, it was then taken.

The whois is literally from the same day and everything.

I've heard sketchy things about GoDaddy before so I am curious, is this just coincidence or is something more nefarious going on here?

I've always wondered the same thing.

 

[ascura]

never have an experience on it myself, however I've read several cases like this.
for this reason, i never do my domain research on godaddy
I still use them to register though.

 

[dmilli]

They've done it to me too. I spent a week researching a niche and eventually found a domain I wanted. I scanned a bunch of keywords for domains with GoDaddy because they had a 500max limit. I found one I was overly excited about because it was available and after seeing that GoDaddy charged much more for privacy I decided to go to Name because it would be free. Went over to Name and it was taken. I ran the URL myself which didn't have a site before hand, then next thing I knew GoDaddy had a page up there advertising the domain for $3G. I ran a whois and sure enough it was reg'd that day. I lost it and pulled all my other domains out of there. I haven't reg'd another site with them again.

 

[socialmediaking]

Legal is one thing, ethical is another. You really think it's okay for them to swipe domains and ideas from someone like that?

Proof?

What difference does it make?

Seriously, they do this all the time and it is perfectly legal.

 

[flaktrak]

Even if you register with godaddy the domain technically isn't yours! read the T&C's!

 

[socialmediaking]

do you know the the actual part where it says that?

Even if you register with godaddy the domain technically isn't yours! read the T&C's!

 

[flaktrak]

I did used to know. When I was having issues with them. somewhere in here! LOL!

http://www.godaddy.com/Legal-Agreements.aspx?ci=20802

 

[socialmediaking]

I did used to know. When I was having issues with them. somewhere in here! LOL!

The thing is 8659 words, how is anyone supposed to find it in there. But regardless, that doesn't answer the question, do they steal the search results? Why wouldn't it be all the time, must they have someone manually decide if the name should be registered or not?

 

[Aaric]

Gaydoddgy does trick with cutomers by using domain tasting.

 

[lexblast]

I have heard of this happening before and even though I have done some registrations with godaddy, I absolutely never check availability through them or any other registrar.

registrars can grab domains and hold them for a period of time without paying for them then release them, so I'd imagine its pretty easy to setup a dictionary/character counter system and if you should enter something good, then not follow through with registering they put a hold on it check it for traffic, etc.