ICANN Can't Find Evidence Of Domain Front Running

from the still-looking... dept

Fri, Aug 7th 2009 2:20pm — Mike Masnick

There have been plenty of stories over the years of domain name registrars "front running" domain names, whereby they take domains that people do a search on, and then register themselves, hoping to sell it to the person who searched later for a higher price. Network Solutions, for example, was accused of this practice, though it insisted that it was only "protecting" the domain from others who might snatch it. ICANN was eventually sued for letting this happen. It appears that ICANN also hired Ben Edelman to look into the problem, and his research has apparently turned up no evidence of such domain front-running anywhere. He notes that this doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but he tested it all over and was unable to find it happening. Considering the vast number of reports and complaints about it happening in the past, does this mean that registrars have cleaned up? Or did Edelman miss something?

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Filed Under: ben edelman, domain front running, domains
Companies: icann

12 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2009 @ 3:00pm

ICANN can't find their (virtual) ass with both (virtual) hands.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2009 @ 3:13pm

Wow
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2009 @ 4:00pm

Happened to me a few years back but haven't had a problem since. However I'm still very hesitant to search for a domain name before I'm ready to purchase one just in case it happens again.
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AC, 7 Aug 2009 @ 5:21pm

Hasn't happened to me yet
I have searched GoDaddy for domain names several times a month for the past two years. Typically the domain is already taken. I'd guess that about 5% of the time it's not. I have never found that one which I searched was taken after I searched.
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..., 7 Aug 2009 @ 6:42pm

I suppose that ICANN't find evidence of DNS hijacking either.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2009 @ 7:21pm

Domain fronting is tied to domain kiting, and since kiting is no longer as easily done, I think that fronting sort of went away as well.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2009 @ 10:08pm

Re:
Happened to me too. They are still sitting on it.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Aug 2009 @ 11:38pm

" Or did Edelman miss something? "
More likely he "forgot" to look more closely to his employer's interests.
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Ed C., 9 Aug 2009 @ 9:07pm

There's the opposite problem as well!
What about companies that keep domains after canceling the service? Yahoo sat on mine for over a year, or at least until their 3rd party registration service decided to cancel for "non-payment". Since I'd already canceled with Yahoo, who had paid for that extra year? In that entire time, I couldn't get Yahoo release it or even own up to it.
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rahlquist (profile), 10 Aug 2009 @ 4:20am

Umm
It happened to me 2 years ago, haven't tried to buy a new domain lately.
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ernest ryder, 25 Mar 2010 @ 4:02pm

domain front running and outright theft
yes mike,bigest two front runners are dotster and subsiduaries and godaddy and subsiduaries. I have run 12 month test now have 5 inches high of proof. registrars allow their subsiduaries and third parties to front run by entering their program as you look up domain name! I can show about 200 domains done this way,but they are stupid because they change the dates of creation and re-registery also time dropped to save money(not to pay),also in dotsters instance they blatently put money back into my business account 3 weeks after. I printed out reciepts and bank drafts and dotregistrar.com (history of transaction and hide in file) they then altered the temporary file in my computer also but I copied prior.
Godaddy.com front ran 30 domains in 12 months canceling two and putting money back into my account.funny part was they using bogus registrants and addresses,also altered creation dates and reg. times and end reg.,when they drop them they also forgot original dates they gave me,putting back to original date of cancel,where as I looked up after was canceled!!!but they claimed was re-newed or created(twice) one month before. about ten that were available ended up at sedo.com 5 seconds to 3 minutes that were looked up by me with false dates. presently they are using alpinedomains.com,sedo.com,ACSdomains.com,tucows.com-has become too hot for them to move them to there,cityofmorehead.com-was stolen by godaddy false registrant (but returned week later),also godaddy.com protecting some guy named doug ryder(false name and address) stole (hostage)my business name-ryderglobal.com,also doug ryder holding-tvnzonline.com hostage, also another guy H. Peters , rydertech.com-tucows.com-RyderTechnology Group(my company!!!)-Dataaire.com-(false registrant-david.simon@cox.net).
Funny part is:doug ryder claims he lives in 20 diferent places at same time,but when I call realtors they say no by that name lives in those places in canada,then godaddy.com changes his address,now they have removed his address but left his name in violation of GoDaddy.com and ICANN regulations-must have real address and name!
tucows.com and alpinedomains.com must be sharing same addresses-212 davie st,burrard st.,etc. also doug ryder-dnr@xtra.co.nz -email-blackhole-1.iana.org,ph-604-638-7774(address next to tucows),F.com,dnr@jomax.net,specialdomainservices.com,etc.
I sent 10 of the names to Icann and Iana-they only sent one or two responses-said could not find front running-even though I pointed out incorrect dates-the rest they never replied.but all the names were dropped or moved to subsiduaries that I looked domains up at. also I baited several domains using their own personal names and bogus names.One -anthonyforbes.com-was snatched up in an hour-lewisernest(turks and Calicos Islands).used 10 executive godaddy employee names-half were snatched up.(GoDaddy.com -whois).some of the names dropped were being held in limbo by godaddy but not registrared to anyone but showed the last registrant sometimes if if it was godaddy subsiduary or third partner.
Mike if you want to know more you can call me ,see my website.
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Ernest Ryder (profile), 13 Oct 2010 @ 8:07am

Cyber Squatters,Front runners,Registers
Revised
Attn:Mike Masnick,
Liked your article on front running,brand jacking and cyber squatting registers-co-conspirators with registrants.
My company domain-RyderGlobal.com still held by False Registrant-Doug Ryder(false name) (false address)-godaddy still refuses to remove false GoDaddy.com-Whois information and post real registrant. I have my reciept-8-19-2001-99.94 dollars expires:8-19-2011-to register-thru BcentralHosting.com(microsoft)10 year to Lifetime registration.They specified lifetime thru US Govt. I have sent 6 cease and desist and return domain to rightful owner-Ernest Ryder-2701 Eddington street,Philadelphia,Pa. 19137(Ryderglobal.com and RyderTechnology.com-25 years at this address)
Here are two other Domains as proof:
1) CrownBoilers.com-cyber squatter(godaddy.com)>contractor.com>contractors.com>411.USA.contractor.com>411.usa.cont ractors.com>(Leadicious LLC-ADI@leadicious.com>ns1.fatcow.com) Fraudulent activity-Contractors (multiple)-payed 1000.00 dollars to 3500.00 dollars to advertising company(still in business) each for leads in their area-also they payed 50 dollars for each lead!!!here is catch they were all given same leads,so contractors were paying for same customer!!! 50.00 dollars times (same cutomer)= 300.00 dollars(fraud)I tested by going to Crownboilers.com as customer. Six contractors I know including sears and service majic and 4 other contractors were given same customer Me!!!I was called by all six !!! ha ha-now being sued by all six contractors! after I exposed!
2) Rydertech.com (posing as:Ryder Technology Group[my Company]
pointing to>Dataaire.com(orange,california-manufacture)>c-sgroup.com-Lebanon,nj
GoDaddy.com/Tucows.com /False registrant-dave.simons@cox.net-davesimmons@aol.com
25371 cadillac drive,laguna hills,ca.,92653
After exposing Godaddy.com as Cyber Squatter on CircleID.com(bob parsons says in article we dont cyber squat or advertise on cyber squatted domains) I posted 4 domains godaddy.com was cyber squatting-I called multiple times(20) they refused to remove!Presently-GoDaddy.com removed RyderTech.com after my CircleID.com article but I was banned from circleID.com as Bob Parsons is financial contributor to CircleID.com.
Mike can you edit and post this-Thank You,
Ernest Ryder
ErnestRyder@RyderGlobal.us
215-817-7868
PS- I can Email you my:Registration reciept-99.94 dollars-expires:8-19-2011(10yr.) to lifetime-(10 yr. to lifetime(microsoft) for RyderGlobal.com
Go to DomainTools.com shows date-(8-17-2001 to 8-19-2001)(my payment)Microsoft released my business name without my knowledge or Premission
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