domain name squatters?

[pontifex]

I lost a domain name that was my first and last name.com (example: johndoe.com) because my email address changed and I forgot to change it at namecheap.com. I never got the emails that it was expiring and I forgot about it.

It appears that some hosting company took it and I clicked the link that said "buy this domain name". I explained to them what happened and put in a low bid to see if they would sell it back.

they sent me an email saying that my offer was too low.

I just got another email from them that says this:

You made an offer on <domain name> and we haven't heard from you. Are you still interested?

To save us time I wanted to let you know the seller only counters offers above $1,500 USD for most domain names.

my name isn't even a common name...wtf?

 

[Analog]

You're screwed.

 

[Krazy4Real]

lolz

 

[nakedfrog]

Heh, the old TFNN domain is being squatted on, someone offered them $9 for it and they counter-offered with $5k.

 

[Newbian]

So you got outsquatted?

Welcome to the internet.

 

[nakedfrog]

Double post, AT forums are having problems, it seems...

 

[Aikouka]

Godaddy keeps my names protected even if I don't renew them immediately.

 

[Aluvus]

Either offer $1.5k or wait for them to give up and drop the domain. Don't bother trying to reason with them. If they were reasonable, they would have a real business model.

 

[Red Squirrel]

lol wow 1.5k? that's crazy. I should register my full name and see if it sells for that much.

Speaking of squatting domains I recently got uogateway.com at an auction. Was UO program that was popular way back in the day and I want to revive it when I get the chance. Better then it ended up as a porn site.


I always make sure my domains are at least 1-2 years paid for. Like I have a few 2009 ones right now so I will be considering to renew them. My important domains are usually renewed for at least 5 years.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Newbian
So you got outsquatted?

Welcome to the internet.

i wasn't squatting it, i was using it to host my photos.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
lol wow 1.5k? that's crazy. I should register my full name and see if it sells for that much.

Speaking of squatting domains I recently got uogateway.com at an auction. Was UO program that was popular way back in the day and I want to revive it when I get the chance. Better then it ended up as a porn site.


I always make sure my domains are at least 1-2 years paid for. Like I have a few 2009 ones right now so I will be considering to renew them. My important domains are usually renewed for at least 5 years.

yeah, when i got my new domain name, i got it for 5 years.

 

[TallBill]

Don't you have rights to a domain that is your name over a company that has no use for it? I know that plenty of stars have got the rights to their domain name back.

 

[SmoochyTX]

Thank you for this thread! Somebody else with my same name had the domain for it for the last 5 or 6 years. I just checked and now it's available! Yay!

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: SmoochyTX
Thank you for this thread! Somebody else with my same name had the domain for it for the last 5 or 6 years. I just checked and now it's available! Yay!

Waiting on my name to expire. Old man hasn't updated it in years and it never had anything on it. Yet he won't sell it.

Edit - And I sold tallbill.com for $200 a few years ago and guy never did anything with it.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Heh, the old TFNN domain is being squatted on, someone offered them $9 for it and they counter-offered with $5k.

that will teach you bastards to gimp me!

 

[Aluvus]

Originally posted by: TallBill
Don't you have rights to a domain that is your name over a company that has no use for it? I know that plenty of stars have got the rights to their domain name back.

ICANN has rules in place that are meant to combat some forms of domain squatting. Unless you are a celebrity or hold some sort of trademark or servicemark, you don't have much of a chance. However, if someone attempts to bring such action against you to try to take a domain that you own, "it's my name" is a workable defense. Just ask the guy that owns nissan.com

 

[Quasmo]

fuck cyber squatters

 

[Argo]

I tried to register localhost but somebody is squatting it. Some dude with 127.0.0.1 IP addres.

 

[Leros]

I use to have a domain name that was pure gibberish. Something like kjeadffkjj.com

After I let it expire, somebody bought it up and was trying to sell it for $2000. I think its all computer automated or something. They must have software that buys up domains that already exist.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I proposed the TLD .localdomain to ICANN but they refused. I want localhost.localdomain.

 

[Leros]

I emailed the guy who owns the domain <MyLastName>.com

Now I have the email address <MyFirstName>@<MyLastName>.com

I don't use it, but at least I have it.

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: Leros
I use to have a domain name that was pure gibberish. Something like kjeadffkjj.com

After I let it expire, somebody bought it up and was trying to sell it for $2000. I think its all computer automated or something. They must have software that buys up domains that already exist.

I had an old free web hosting / hosting tips website that ended up costing slightly less than it made in profit to run that I finally just shutdown and let lapse. It's now a fashion blog. 0.o

 

[pontifex]

i keep getting emails from them. they now say they won't accept any offers under $2000. Don't you normally lower the price of something if it doesn't sell? lol

 

[BurnItDwn]

Those squatters are scum ...

See about getting your name.net or your name .org ....

Otherwise, you can always do it the free way through no-ip.org ...

 

[takeru]

Originally posted by: pontifex
i keep getting emails from them. they now say they won't accept any offers under $2000. Don't you normally lower the price of something if it doesn't sell? lol

well considering you pretty much sent an email to them stating you have a fairly good interest in the domain name to begin with i doubt you will get it back cheap at all. they probably re-read your letter and decided you may be more interested than originally thought.