Slashdot Mirror
Taking Domain Control Back from the Registrar?
Patrick Clinger asks: "I run a large community Web site, and today I woke up to find that one of my domain names (proboards21.com) was disabled by my unnamed registrar -- my name servers were changed to NS1/NS2.SUSPENDED-FOR.SPAM-AND-ABUSE.COM and I no longer have access to that domain in my control panel. I am in no way involved in any spam activities, and the registration for my domain expires in 2007. I would expect at least a courtesy call or an email letting me know what happened, but neither was provided by the unnamed registrar. What can you do when suddenly a registrar goes off and takes control of your domain when there was no violation of your agreement with them? What is to prevent any registrar from taking over any domain when they feel like it? Right now my domain is in limbo, waiting for them to hopefully restore it to the correct name servers."
Everyone buys the cheapest PC they can get, want the cheapest software on the market, goes to WalMart and buys $15.99 pair of basketball shoes and $20 stereo system, cheapest domains they can find... ...and people still complain about the labor outsourced to India and scrappy cheap vendors giving crappy service.
ICANN?
.com, so Verisign?
It's a
The courts?
Long story short, call, talk to their manager, then their manager. Repeat as needed as high up the chain as you need to go to get them to listen to you.
You must live in a very nice world.
See, in the world where I live, if I, as an individual, ordinary person of the middle class, try doing this to a company with more than about 20 employees, they win practically just by showing up. They can afford to string it out way, way more than I can. That means I lose. Or, alternatively, they can just call up their team of guerrilla lawyers and make me garrotte myself with my own words. You know how when you're arrested, they say "Anything you say can and will be used against you"? Well, if a lawyer ever says that to you, run away, fast, and never speak again, because they mean it.
Of course, there are, supposedly, companies that will negotiate in good faith and actually care about justice and upholding their end of the deal. However, I think they are simply a myth.
Dan Aris
Fun. Free. Online. RPG. BattleMaster.
John
Are they in the Wayback Machine? If yes, and the content clearly points to you (e.g., copyright blurbs), you may have some evidence to work from.
While I doubt it's the case of the person in the article, it does make a joe-job(spammer pretending to be you) a lot more threatening...
Because if you do, these addresses may be used to fake from headers for the MyDoom worm, or other spam, etc. Maybe a lot of it went to a group of people who got together and in retaliation, bugged GoDaddy a lot, causing them to suspend the account (without properly investigating to see if it actually ORIGINATED from your domain).
Hell, this may even be the case if you don't let people have email addresses at your domain. Nothing's stopping spammers from making it look like stuff comes from admin@proboardz21.com or billybob or whatever, so long as the payload still generates sales for the right person.
Meanwhile it makes you (or your service providers) look like the most obvious source of ill will.
THIS THING CAN TURN ON A DIME, MACROSSZERO STYLE ALSO FUCK BETA, ~NYORON
Since a domain costs about $10/year from godaddy, and the maximum term is 10 years, this case would likely fall under small claims, which doesn't allow lawyers,so there's a better chance of a fair trial
Need a Catering Connection
it's in dispute....he can't transfer it.
When I was working for a law firm in downtown Dallas, I had to work with 174 domain names registered with GoDaddy. I had a few minor quibbles with them, but their telephone support was second-to-none. Just give the guys a call. The worst they could do is say no.
Don't get irate with them on the phone, either - that'll just convince the telephone rep. to not help you. Be nice, courteous - it's not that guy's fault. Don't threaten with lawyers or the BBB to the phone guys. Save that for certified mail.
This whole thing bothers me to no end.
I've noticed this kind of thing happens all the time in life, and I really am starting to dislike it: Everything is going just fine, you do nothing wrong, someone else screws up--completely outside of your control--and it takes you time and money to fix it.
I've gotten half-a-million-dollar tax bills because my state double-issued a taxpayer ID. I've been pulled over for speeding by the police within seconds of entering a highway, not even yet at highway speed, because my car happened to be the same model as someone they had clocked miles up the highway. I've had my ISP cancel my account when their credit card processor double-billed my card and marked the chargeback of the second amount as nonpayal.
And now, I've got this to worry about, too. I have around twenty domain names with GoDaddy.
I really empathize with you. This just sucks.
I really hope that you can get the $250 refunded, talking with the right people at GoDaddy.com. Please keep us updated, if not here, then in your Slashdot journal. I can't imagine that they could keep the $250; I am amazed they actually made you pay it in the first place.
If you cannot get them to refund the $250 within the next week or so, here is what I would recommend:
Transfer all of your domain names elswhere (once you find a registrar of course). Then once they have been successfully transferred, dispute the $250 charge with your credit card company. You have 60 days from the date of your statement; so anywhere from 60 to 90 days from today, depending on when your next statement is sent out. It's as easy as filling out a form or writing a short letter and mailing it in. Your credit card company will side with you by default, that's how they work, and refund the money immediately. The burden of proof will then like with GoDaddy.com to show that they charged you this fee correctly; if what you have said is true, they will be unable to do it.
Of course it will be a hassle, transferring your domain names. Hopefully it won't come to that, and GoDaddy will step up to the plate, refund your $250, and apologize. Let us know what happens. I wish you the best.
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
The BBB doesn't do jack. I've tried, but the BBB has no authority whatsoever; it's just a list of companies that *some* consumers are unhappy with, and it seems most companies reported to the BBB simply shakes it off, just like water on a goose.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
"GoDaddy disabled my domain because some person sent an email to another person, and mentioned my domain in that email. It is as simple was that."
Then you have a watertight case for taking them through the legal wringer. However, you might want to get hold of their side of the story first. Nine times out of ten there's a misunderstanding or a joe job in the background that you have to clear up with an open mind.
Give 'em attitude and they'll flip you the bird until the lawyers get involved, and then they'll make it expensive for you.
"Don't make accusations when you don't know the facts."
Accusations always preceed the facts. ALways. Live with the fact that some people don't know you're a shining example of humanity and take a step back.
Oddly Draconis
Too cynical to live, too stubborn to die.