View Full Version : Stolen Domain
mOBSCENE
09-01-05, 04:55 PM
I was just about to update one of my sites, but when I got there, the index page had changed to an entry page, which now leads to another site. I checked all sorts, and eventually the whois records for the domain, which isn't even due to expire for some time, to find it isn't registered either to me or the company who registered it for me any more (I got the domain along with a hosting package, the hosting company said it would look after the domain process etc). I checked my site through its IP, and everything is still there, just appears the domain has been stolen. First time this has happened, suppose it's an occupational hazard, but not sure what to do next...
1) How can a hosting company let this happen?
2) Is it likely I can negotiate with or threaten the thief to get it back? I can post the url's of the thief here and all over the place...
3) What's the best thing to do at this stage?
Have contacted the hosting company and await their response - surely at the very least they owe me a new domain name for free, or should help me get my domain back?
:mad: :mad: :mad:
contact the regiterer and see what they say, the hosting company can only do that anyway
Its also a reminder to everyone to make sure all your domains are locked. Not all registerers do it by default
stolen and thief are prolly too harsh words. they tried it on and got it signed over, i assume it wasn't locked?
also i found that some WHOIS look up sites aren't quite correct, sites that i know for sure are online and registered are sometimes reported as available and Click Here To Register Now. i often wondered (but never chcked it up really) if they do that on purpose when a domain isn't locked and make some sales that way. if they have no refund policy and only credit your account if the registrtaion fails, they have your money anyway.
if the new owner used one of these services, they might not even know they snatched it from you.
mOBSCENE
09-01-05, 05:41 PM
Well I have sent an email to the registrant and have been very polite and not used the words thief or stolen, but hopefully you can imagine how I feel to use such strong language. Thieving twatting cunt probably describes that better. Currently going through all my other domains, which all appear to be locked, so need to find out what went wrong with this one...
i can absolutely imagine how pissed off you must be. obviously you have put work into building something around that domain and are now stripped of the main pointer. i'm just saying that new owner might not be aware they snatched a domain from someone else. not very likely, i admit.
care to share which registrar you used and what the new one is?
do you recall any mails asking for your OK to do a transfer?
mOBSCENE
09-01-05, 05:55 PM
The current registrar is TUCOWS, INC. I bought this domain along with the hosting package so am not sure what the original one was. I register the domains myself these days but this was back when I was a relative beginner with such things. Don't recall any emails - would have rang alarm bells!
Cardinal_Sin
09-01-05, 05:58 PM
I know this happened to Sleazy recently on one of his big traffic domains - Shit like this can happen -
1st thing you must do is go to your registrar and demand to know why your site has left your hands without you giving them permission to do so -
Is it registered with godaddy by any chance? They are pretty well known for actually stealing their own clients domains.
The current registrar is TUCOWS, INC. I bought this domain along with the hosting package so am not sure what the original one was. I register the domains myself these days but this was back when I was a relative beginner with such things. Don't recall any emails - would have rang alarm bells!
hm, was the domain in your name and email or the hoster's then? if not, you wouldn't have gotten the email for obvious reasons.
dvtimes
09-01-05, 06:03 PM
Have you contacted the firm that set it up for you?
Mabe they sold it.
mOBSCENE
09-01-05, 06:06 PM
hm, was the domain in your name and email or the hoster's then? if not, you wouldn't have gotten the email for obvious reasons.
Possibly
mOBSCENE
09-01-05, 06:11 PM
Have you contacted the firm that set it up for you?
Mabe they sold it.
Maybe, who knows. Oh well, I have plenty of other sites and have fired off the mails to all parties, so probably best to get on with the Hun submission I was going to do three hours ago then take a break from it. No point worrying about things I can't control just at the moment, it'll come out in the wash, eventually...
mOBSCENE
09-01-05, 06:39 PM
What does confuse me however, is the nature of the takeover. It isn't as if the guy has just put his own website up on the domain, but looks a bit suspect, and one of the links doesn't even work...
http://www.she-walks-in-beauty.com/
I've googled zapped.com but can't find any info...? Thought at first my site had been defaced or hacked etc, which was when I explored the actual files, and then the domain... The site it leads into has the same registrant listed as for the stolen domain...
interesting the expiry date is 2005-10-25.
usually you pay for an additional year when you change ownership.
mOBSCENE
09-01-05, 07:24 PM
Could someone have hacked the records or servers for some reason, rather than changing things through some semi legitimate process? My hosts are investigating the matter and are attempting the transfer the domain back somehow, although they say at present they don't know how someone else has got control of the domain...
I wouldn't be as surprised if it was some amazing high traffic domain or one of the sexier domain names... The hardest thing is my main blog is in there, so none of my subscribers etc can currently get to it...
Cardinal_Sin
09-01-05, 07:44 PM
Could someone have hacked the records or servers for some reason, rather than changing things through some semi legitimate process? My hosts are investigating the matter and are attempting the transfer the domain back somehow, although they say at present they don't know how someone else has got control of the domain...
I wouldn't be as surprised if it was some amazing high traffic domain or one of the sexier domain names... The hardest thing is my main blog is in there, so none of my subscribers etc can currently get to it...
Who are you hosting with?
That is not a mistake, the domain has been stolen and has just had the DNS changed or the traffic. What info was needed to log on to that domains admin?
Could someone have hacked the records or servers for some reason, rather than changing things through some semi legitimate process?
With this new shiotty system of anyone can transfere a name if it isnt locked and there isnt a response, if the name isnt locked its easy enough. Was it a high traffic site?
If I was you I would be on the phone to two cows
Cardinal_Sin
09-01-05, 07:55 PM
Reason I ask is because the domain links to daytonabeachhotties - Which has one owner whereas she-walks-in-beauty is given as a different owner - Strange that someone whould simply want to steal a site then give the traffic away - Unless, of course, this is a new fad!
Could be that your domain has simply been hacked?
Zapped (.com) Zapped is often in reference to a worm, and also has hack meanings -
mOBSCENE
09-01-05, 08:07 PM
Reason I ask is because the domain links to daytonabeachhotties - Which has one owner whereas she-walks-in-beauty is given as a different owner - Strange that someone whould simply want to steal a site then give the traffic away - Unless, of course, this is a new fad!
Could be that your domain has simply been hacked?
Zapped (.com) Zapped is often in reference to a worm, and also has hack meanings -
I see Smith, Alton as the owner of both domains? Who are you seeing as the different owner?
mOBSCENE
09-01-05, 08:17 PM
With this new shiotty system of anyone can transfere a name if it isnt locked and there isnt a response, if the name isnt locked its easy enough. Was it a high traffic site?
If I was you I would be on the phone to two cows
To be honest, no - of all my sites it has the lowest traffic, although one of the best conversion rates of that traffic. The link popularity is low, mainly it was my blog that was getting good traffic from the blog search engines and the main search engines, although not enough to make it worth stealing, I would say. No, not worth stealing at all - most se links were going to blog entries anyway, rather than the main url, so right now there will be virtually no traffic being gained from this act...
Interestingly I went to tucows just now and did their whois, and it said there was no info on the domain, suggesting it could either be in the process of deletion or being transferred...
The zapped reference and the contact "ME" link appear to indicate flagrant egomania, so maybe hacking is still a possibility. Maybe someone has just done this for fun. Maybe they want me to respond to their email, so they can send an avalanche of spam and virii back - who knows!? :comp:
Usually for a domain to be stolen they have to "hack" either your domain admin, the email address used for that account or both. If it didn't expire and you didn't release the domain then it was stolen and so I would get the host or the re-seller that sold you the domain onto this asap. Just because the DNS has been changed to the site that it's pointing to now this does not mean that this is the long term aim for the domain.
mOBSCENE
09-02-05, 11:56 AM
My host have confirmed the domain has been stolen, and are trying to get it transferred back to me. I have contacted the guy who now "owns" the domain, to politely ask for it back as well, before I start getting a little heavier. The host have also offered me a new domain FOC, so if the transfer back doesn't work out, I will just have to start again - get first page results on google for a few weeks, then end up in the sanbox for a few months...
I am wondering why he has a picture of a 2 year old child on the front of his glam porn modelling site, and the fact that his 2257 custodian address is a PO Box, which is illegal in US where he is, may be a good way of sending some trouble his way? Or what about a DDOS attack, perhaps?
Just looking for ways to feel better I suppose... :guinness:
erm, can it be it's pointing to your server again?
if not, he did a fine design rip off.
mOBSCENE
09-02-05, 12:20 PM
I've been putting polite pressure on him and making pleas to his professional integrity, also the host has been doing stuff. Apparently a short time ago the name servers were reset back to my hosts... Will just have to wait and see what happens next in this continuing saga...
I've been putting polite pressure on him and making pleas to his professional integrity, also the host has been doing stuff. Apparently a short time ago the name servers were reset back to my hosts... Will just have to wait and see what happens next in this continuing saga...
"Polite pressure" on someone that has stolen a domain name from you?
mOBSCENE
09-02-05, 07:42 PM
"Polite pressure" on someone that has stolen a domain name from you?
Well, bearing in mind someone might have stolen it, and then sold it on or something without his being aware it was dodgy. I find ranting and raving and outbursts and enlisting the assassination services of people I know who live in his locale, are best saved for after the polite requests. I usually phrase my polite requests to imply that stronger measures will be on the way, eg "I wouldn't want to involve my legal representative at this stage if it can be solved amicably..."
mOBSCENE
09-03-05, 03:05 AM
Currently I can't get to any site with the domain - looks like its coming home...?????????
mOBSCENE
09-03-05, 03:33 AM
"Polite pressure" on someone that has stolen a domain name from you?
Over the years, I seem to have recorded far more success with the polite art of negotiation than any amount of threats etc. Whether it's with a claim for an item out of guarantee, or someone invading my turf, as it were, I've had a much better success rate being polite and friendly then turning nasty and vindictive.
Would you respond better to an out and out threat in the first place, or a polite enquiry, assuming you were a genuine person?
I have sent my share of abusive, nasty emails, with no response. These days I try to be placatory and friendly, and from results, I have more success than being nasty... Hopefully in this case, the result will be positive too, if not, I know what I will be doing, but being impolite and aggressive is not the way to start...
For the record, and from a pyschoanalytic point of view, the person reading the email normally wants to be seen as a reasonable guy. If you start off accusing him of being a twat, he'll prefer to assume the role, and will end up behaving like a twat. Obviously, with other tactics, its the opposite. Obviously some guys are already complete twats and won't change, but maybe just try the soft approach at some point and see if you get any results? Works for me, 80% of the time...
mOBSCENE
09-03-05, 04:41 AM
Thought I'd better qualify my "item out of guarantee" mention, ie when an item is in guarantee, one has rights, but with my approach I've often got items repaired or replaced after they've gone just beyond the guarantee period, with phrases such as "I would love to recommend your products and publicise them on my various websites." rather than "you and your company are shite and I will never fucking buy anything from you shit-mongers ever again..." Works for me, anyway...
Try to be nice to everyone. Even twats. I'm just naturally that way, and I won't lower myself or change until I'm pushed into it. Just how I am....
Shandy McAndy
09-04-05, 01:07 PM
You got an update? Did you get it back?
mOBSCENE
09-04-05, 01:17 PM
I haven't got an update yet. All I know is the the nameservers are now not set to anything at all, after the domain started propagating my way, then stopped.
So I've spent most of the weekend drinking Jack Daniels, and writing the odd boozy post here and there, lol!
TD was nicked once, around 6 years ago. Took 4 days to get it back. Was on Holiday in southern Italy just as it happened. Excellent timing !
mOBSCENE
09-06-05, 04:46 PM
Glad you got TD back! Things have been slow with the Labour Day weekend in the States, so they've maybe all been at the beach... The domain was pointed back at my site again today, but the guy is keeping the domain on registrar-lock. Don't know what to make of this new development - could be he's just winding me up, and it'll be pointing somewhere else any minute.
Maybe I will be singing the Alice Cooper song soon.
But for now, time for :coffee:
mOBSCENE
09-06-05, 06:09 PM
No more Mr Nice Guy, No more Cle-he-een... Sing along now... :dance:
The guy is now trying to extort money from my host in return for the domain - an extortionate amount. Looks like he's pointed the domain back at my site just so he can say, here, look what you can have back if you pay up... He has managed to piss my host off so much, they are going to pursue this through legal channels, and have already contacted the FBI... So it seems that this guy is some kind of professional domain thief who steals domains then ransoms them back - as this could take months, do people think I'm better off just relaunching with a new domain rather than letting the site sit in limbo for x amount of months with an uncertain outcome? I think I probably know the answer to that, but...
No more Mr Nice Guy, No more Cle-he-een... Sing along now... :dance:
The guy is now trying to extort money from my host in return for the domain - an extortionate amount. Looks like he's pointed the domain back at my site just so he can say, here, look what you can have back if you pay up... He has managed to piss my host off so much, they are going to pursue this through legal channels, and have already contacted the FBI... So it seems that this guy is some kind of professional domain thief who steals domains then ransoms them back - as this could take months, do people think I'm better off just relaunching with a new domain rather than letting the site sit in limbo for x amount of months with an uncertain outcome? I think I probably know the answer to that, but...
I think the "no more mr nice guy" time passed long ago.
Business is business.
mOBSCENE
09-06-05, 06:30 PM
I think the "no more mr nice guy" time passed long ago.
Business is business.
Probably - but I still think utter carnage is best reserved as a cold dish, likewise with revenge... Besides which, in reality I have known this was coming from day one, and have been making preparations, still there is no harm in trying every angle...
hello all, my name is Alton,
i just run across this link... and i'm here to set the record straight,
i've been a photographer and web content provider, for the last 7 years.
i've gone through a webmaster atleast once a year for the last 7 years.
and the reason this is, because there always trying to screw somebody.
and the discussion above is the reason number 5 webmaster is no longer with me . when it comes to computers and building websites, i'm as dumb as they
come.. i give my webmaster's 50% of all my profits, that i make off my
website, and full access to the URL's and my billing company.
but everytime i get a new one i learn something new, so you can say
i learn from my mistakes. How he got a hold of the URL's i will never
know, all he told me was one day they weren't their and the next
day they were. but on all my websites there is phone number listed,
so if this ever happens again i can be contacted. i hope this clears things up.
and i know exactly how you'd feel if it were me.
thank you,
Alton
03-16-2007
hello all, my name is Alton,
i just run across this link... and i'm here to set the record straight,
i've been a photographer and web content provider, for the last 7 years.
i've gone through a webmaster atleast once a year for the last 7 years.
and the reason this is, because there always trying to screw somebody.
and the discussion above is the reason number 5 webmaster is no longer with me . when it comes to computers and building websites, i'm as dumb as they
come.. i give my webmaster's 50% of all my profits, that i make off my
website, and full access to the URL's and my billing company.
but everytime i get a new one i learn something new, so you can say
i learn from my mistakes. How he got a hold of the URL's i will never
know, all he told me was one day they weren't their and the next
day they were. but on all my websites there is phone number listed,
so if this ever happens again i can be contacted. i hope this clears things up.
and i know exactly how you'd feel if it were me.
thank you,
Alton
03-16-2007
I thought you said you were here to set the record straight?
Oh ok, just seen the date of this thread.
mOBSCENE
03-16-07, 01:18 PM
Oh ok, just seen the date of this thread.
:takethat:
I guess that clears everything up then :gaylords:
Bradderzzz
03-16-07, 01:50 PM
LOL wtf where did this get bumped from.
Just out of interest did you get the domain back?
mOBSCENE
03-16-07, 02:52 PM
LOL wtf where did this get bumped from.
Just out of interest did you get the domain back?
In the end.
Johnny Kleenexxx
03-16-07, 04:56 PM
tell me it wasn't a lunarpages hosting package ?
Johnny Kleenexxx
03-17-07, 12:47 PM
hmmm...
scammers suck
haha . . and a lot of them seem to live in your neck of the woods
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