What do we do about domain name hijacking?
After reading a recent post in the Domain Name Journal, several of my more vocal Domain Services folks decided they couldn't stay quiet and they asked me to post the thoughts below. Anyone in the domain name community want to respond? Unlike DNJournal, we are happy to post what you have to say here at the Rudy Syndrome.
As the largest registrar in the world, we can attest to successfully working with other registrars, registries, and law enforcement agents, every single day. We can also confirm that most registrars are extremely committed to preventing domain name hijackings.
As a fundamental matter, registrants are responsible for their own domain names. However, the first thing the victim of a domain name theft should do is contact the registrar. Oftentimes registrars can rely on ICANN policies to help resolve domain name theft or a wrongful transfer. Additionally, most, if not all, registrars who help, do it for free.
Of course, with almost a thousand registrars world-wide, there are some that are unwilling to help. That is why we, along with other devoted registrars, continue to try to educate the industry on how registrants can protect their names and what registrars can do to help. Likewise, we tirelessly reach out to registrars as a way to "fix the hole in the fence" so that all registrars join the cause to prevent and recover hijacked domain names.
Paying to list a stolen domain name on a website will not get your domain name back. But, if you contact the registrar, you at least have a chance.
Thanks to the staff of hard workers at Go Daddy, who make it their business to make the Internet a better and safer place, for submiting this piece.
Anyone from DNJournal or DomainTheft.org care to issue a rebuttal? We will be happy to post it here.
Recently, DNJournal published an article introducing DomainTheft.org and its founder, Morgan Linton. DomainTheft.org is a monthly, paid service where victims of domain name theft can list their domain names so anyone checking the site will know the domain names are stolen. Linton characterized "most" domain name registrars as unwilling to assist in cases of domain name theft, and theorized that domain name registrars should "stay-out" of domain name theft situations for that reason.
We whole heartedly disagree.
In Go Daddy’s case, we have a dedicated staff to deal with all forms of domain name hijacking complaints, transfer disputes, and domain name disputes. We have a successful process for handling hijacking complaints and we have been extremely proactive in tracking down and retrieving stolen domain names. Involving a third party with no authority to resolve domain name hijackings would simply slow down the process and get in the way.
To make the assertion that “most” registrars simply won’t help when a hijacking occurs is inaccurate and seems more like a ploy to sell Linton’s service. Worse, it seems a veiled attempt to capitalize on the misfortune of registrants who are victims of domain name theft. Before profiting from the bad acts of thieves, we encourage Linton to familiarize himself with what registrars can do, and what they actually do, before using scare tactics to sell his new service.
As the largest registrar in the world, we can attest to successfully working with other registrars, registries, and law enforcement agents, every single day. We can also confirm that most registrars are extremely committed to preventing domain name hijackings.
As a fundamental matter, registrants are responsible for their own domain names. However, the first thing the victim of a domain name theft should do is contact the registrar. Oftentimes registrars can rely on ICANN policies to help resolve domain name theft or a wrongful transfer. Additionally, most, if not all, registrars who help, do it for free.
Of course, with almost a thousand registrars world-wide, there are some that are unwilling to help. That is why we, along with other devoted registrars, continue to try to educate the industry on how registrants can protect their names and what registrars can do to help. Likewise, we tirelessly reach out to registrars as a way to "fix the hole in the fence" so that all registrars join the cause to prevent and recover hijacked domain names.
Paying to list a stolen domain name on a website will not get your domain name back. But, if you contact the registrar, you at least have a chance.
Thanks to the staff of hard workers at Go Daddy, who make it their business to make the Internet a better and safer place, for submiting this piece.
Anyone from DNJournal or DomainTheft.org care to issue a rebuttal? We will be happy to post it here.
The response of Go Daddy's Domain Services team to both the misleading DNJournal article (as well as the "marketing" behind DomainTheft.org) should serve as a warning to not only domain name registrants but to all internet participants worldwide, that it is incumbent upon each of you to:
(i) pay attention to what you are doing online;
(ii) investigate with whom you are transacting business online;
(iii) be suspicious of those who cast aspersions on the efforts of well-recognized international companies while promoting their own agenda;and
(iv) be ever vigilant about protecting your security, identity and intellectual property.
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Last week, someone sent us a news link regarding a domain theft. It was unclear whether the losing registrar had reached out to the gaining registrar. It sounded as though the customer had given up because they had purchased a new domain name to replace the previous domain name. We sent an email to the gaining registrar and received a response that the gaining registrar would be working directly with the previous registrant to reinstate the name.
In the meantime, DomainTheft.org posted on their site that they were working hard to recover this domain name. I wonder if DomainTheft.org will take credit for getting the domain back?
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