Network Solutions steals your domain name ideas!

[Dien Rice]

This is outrageous... My brother (Thomas) pointed this out to me. He found out about it from here... http://blog.domaintools.com/2008/01/...eas-confirmed/

The "low down" is that if you search for a domain name using Network Solutions - you'll find it's available. Then, if you search for it on another site, you'll find it's taken!

Then, if you check back on Network Solution for who owns it ("Whois"), you'll find Network Solutions has registered it! You can still buy it - but only if you register it with them! They hold your domain name idea "hostage"!

I did my own test to check it out.

I did a search on Network Solutions for a dumb domain name I came up with, that I'd never use - cablecowpiano.com .

A search on Network Solutions showed it was available...



Then, I searched for it on 000domains - to find it was taken!



Then, searching Whois information for it on Network Solutions, showed that THEY registered it!



You can still register it through them - but not through anyone else!

So... DON'T seach for domain names using Network Solutions, since they'll "steal" your ideas!

- Dien

I had a similar experience with Network Solutions years ago when I tried to register eTide.com. It came up available on N.S. and, as I tried to register it right then and there, everything came to a screeching halt for several minutes. When I could finally get a response, it was 'taken'.

Another thing about Network Solutions is that they'll try to make it impossible for you to transfer a domain you own away from them by making you jump through endless hoops and loops until you give up in frustration.

Here's the work around for their 'no transfer away baloney'...just go to the registrar (in my case 000 domains) and have your new registrar do the transfer. Save yourself the aggravation. You see, doing it that way they have just a few days to comply or be in violation of their agreements to be able to function as a registrar. After 3 weeks of stalling and frustration, I had my domain name transferred in 3 days when I turned it over to my new registrar to handle the transfer.

Sandi Bowman

I understand that Network Solutions is, and has been under investigation for some time now by ICANN. The wheels of justice grind along slowly.

Here's a TRUSTED source to check out your domain names (new)
http://instantdomainsearch.com

As far as registration, I use 3: GoDaddy, NameCheap and Name.com

Most anytime you want to change registrars, the registrar you want to move TO will handle this for you. Nice thing about that is, you usually get the service for a fairly low price, and it includes a year's registration.

Pete

Dien,

Thanks for the info.

THAT explains it. A while back I searched for an equally obscure domain name using Network Solutions. It was Free, of course. But a couple of days later when I went elsewhere to Register it, it was taken.

At first, I thought someone somewhere was Scanning the Domain Name Checking and obtaining them in the hopes of selling them to the original searcher later. Little did I know the people doing that were those who I'd done the search with.

Now here's an additional thought... what if Network Solutions, after taking the name off the market, then markets the name to those they feel might be able to use such a name? Maybe based on Keywords within the name.

For example.... sending a notice to people with the word Piano in their domain name and offering them cablecowpiano for a fee. It would make a quirky Different Name that might Grab Attention. And at the least such a name could have a Redirect on it, or the usual "search box and keyword related links" that unused domain names seem to have on them.

Also, as it is an Odd name... maybe they offer such names to upcoming Bands too. Be interesting to see if you double check that name in Google a month or two down the track and discover there is a band called Cable Cow Piano or the site redirects to a cable company or piano company.

Michael Ross

Well, the 'person' who got my eTide name DID offer it to me...for over $500.00 a few weeks later. Then they put up a 'nothing' site and put it up for sale and listed it with a large listing outfit and put a sign on their 'site' that it was for sale.

I owned other versions of eTide that tied in with my series of sites and was going to use them but decided not to. Since he had the .com, I'd be essentially working to make 'his' domain more valuable. Phooey on that! I gave them away on the Warrior Forum and they've never appeared, that I know of, anywhere. I haven't bothered checking again.

What Network Solutions did should be illegal. I never left the site, in fact, as soon as I saw it was available, I tried to register it but N.S. would not acknowledge my registration. After about 10-15 minutes or so, up comes the not available B.S. Angry? You bet!

Sandi Bowman

If you Google around you'll find that Network Solutions has other Scam & Fraud issues against them... Maybe even a few others...

Just be very Careful on Whois “Whois” you Use...

Many don't Trust Search features/boxes on web sites for a variety of reasons...

If you Happen to be one of those Paranoid people...

Only buy your Domain names from Highly recommended and Well researched resources that you're sure you can Trust...

Do all your Homework first... The Less you Whois the better!

Use Google's Keyword Tool to Research and Dig out the best Niche Keyword Domain names...

Study through the Billions of niche Keyword possibilities in Google and Focus... Especially on those colored bars & ? marks...

There's an Unbelievable amount of Great domain names Available, even though Many Tell us that all the Good one's are Gone...

If Adwords is a Foreign object... Spend some time Learning the whole Adwords system...
http://adwords.google.com/support/

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
https://adwords.google.com/support/b...64886&hl=en_US

Phil

Here's a story on it: New Domain Name Practice Criticized

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g...8s_bAD8U3AH4O0

Network Solutions is thinking logically and is an example of a "Toll Position".

Harvey Brody also expresses that he has virtually eliminated his competition by thinking logically.

TALLOC

Originally Posted by TALLOC

Network Solutions is thinking logically and is an example of a "Toll Position".

A "Toll Position" is one thing. Stealing from your customers is another. There's no "toll position" involved with their tactics.

Harvey Brody also expresses that he has virtually eliminated his competition by thinking logically.

TALLOC

Pete

funny....or ironic ...
I was discussing this with a fellow the other day , and he thought it was a hell of an idea...

way he put it ...
the potential customer gives you all the information HE wants ...
customer has option to buy
declines
then the network(?) search engine stores the names. and
offer s them for REsale ?

I have always been skeptical of those search engines, but seems like ...as PHIL has pointed out....getting a unique domain is not too difficult

I have thought....

why not have a XYZ.com...and use the directory as a complete NEW domain name server....some of your geeks will have to tell me why that wouldnt work...

have a good one