How To Complain About An Registrar ?

[awtoc]

Hi can anybody tell me where and how to file complaints against names4ever ?

The problem is I have now tried three times to transfer one domain, and each time it fails, first ohh 60 days after and 60 before renewals, OK I accepted this, then waited, and next time still refused this time ohh 60 days after any change to the domain, like autorenew off so you have to wait again for 60 days, so we waited, and now the 60 days is over by one week and still refused, and no answers to any mails send to any of the support departments, so I like to know how to kick their ass, where to go and how.

I started as reseller some three years ago, and stoped after very short time due to always many problems, and always just before a weekend, and always no reply from support duing weekends, and their web interface totally use less.

All domains I have transfered in the past some 100 always the same problems, but this time they are being stupid, so I think an compllaint is in order.

 

[Mr Webname]

Not the info you want but FAQ from ICANN:-

My registrar won't let me transfer my domain, what do I do?

If you're having trouble transferring your domain from one registrar to another, you should contact the registrar you want to transfer to for assistance. If your preferred registrar is having any trouble processing your transfer, your registrar can obtain assistance from ICANN or the registry operator as appropriate.

Registrars are not permitted to deny transfer requests arbitrarily. ICANN has no policy that permits or requires registrars to deny outgoing transfer requests solely because the registration is within X number of days before expiration. In any case where a "losing" registrar does deny a transfer request, it is required to provide the "gaining" registrar with a notice of the denial and a specific reason for the denial.

For your reference, the "Policy on Transfer of Sponsorship of Registrations Between Registrars" is set forth in Exhibit B to the Registry-Registrar Agreement. For details on updates to ICANN's transfer policies, please refer to <http://www.icann.org/transfers/>.

 

[Dave Zan]

Courtesy of The Duke himself:

"You can file a complaint online with InterNic on any issues involving
registrars here: http://reports.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi

Also, send a copy of the complaint in an email to [email protected].
ICANN will forward your complaint to the registrar for review and further
handling though they do not guarantee a reply. One can at least hope that
the ICANN inquiry will get the registrar's attention."

 

[Duke]

That email address has worked like a charm for me. I had 4 registrars who would not give me access to or release domains for four months. I finally sent them a complaint and copied it to that ICANN address. All 4 problems were solved almost instantly! Before they wouldn't even acknowledge my complaint emails. In fact an ICANN attorney called one of the registrars to ask them why my complaint had not been acted on (and they acted immediately). This worked with foreign registrars like RGNames and PSI-Japan as well as domestic registrars. I have also had DNJournal readers write to me and tell me it worked for them too (I put the address in an editorial about the bad registrars that are plaguing this business).

 

[Mr Webname]

Trying this at the moment to get my domains out of Totalnic - now renamed Pacnames! These people effectively hijack your domains and withold your right to move them - they even invented a non-existent email address for the Registrant contact of my domains and changed the login details for my account without informing me of any of these changes!
Has anyone succeeded in gaining control of names out of Totalnic?
If so how did you accomplish it?

 

[Duke]

Trying this at the moment to get my domains out of Totalnic - now renamed Pacnames! These people effectively hijack your domains and withold your right to move them - they even invented a non-existent email address for the Registrant contact of my domains and changed the login details for my account without informing me of any of these changes!
Has anyone succeeded in gaining control of names out of Totalnic?
If so how did you accomplish it?

Pacnames is a good name for them. They are like Pacman - they gobble up all of your domains and you never see them again. Hopefully the ICANN address will get results for you as it did for me and many others.

 

[Mr Webname]

I certainly hope so Ron, it's like they have been stolen from me - I can see them but I can't touch them ... frustrating to say the least. At least they will know who I am before I've finished!

 

[Dave Zan]

I think this is pretty standard whenever an acquisition occurs, a registrar takes
over another one and switches registrations to the acquiring company to "force"
the real domain name owners to contact them and verify ownership. Assuming
the new registrar is straightforward, they'll transfer them to their respective
owners after authentication.

The painful part, of course, is authentication, especially if you've never had a
problem logging inside your account/s back then. :-(

Have you contacted Pacnames? If so, what did they tell you?

 

[Mr Webname]

I think this is pretty standard whenever an acquisition occurs, a registrar takes
over another one and switches registrations to the acquiring company to "force"
the real domain name owners to contact them and verify ownership. Assuming
the new registrar is straightforward, they'll transfer them to their respective
owners after authentication.

The painful part, of course, is authentication, especially if you've never had a
problem logging inside your account/s back then. :-(

Have you contacted Pacnames? If so, what did they tell you?

Nothing standard about this and the acquisition is theoretical - it's really just a name change and yes I've contacted them - the first 5 emails they just ignored my request and wrote about unrelated waffle my last 2 emails they have totally ignored - we'll see if the ICANN complaint makes any difference.

 

[mamazolo]

Hello

I have very serious problems with domainbank.net.

Here's the story:

Browsing the net last week, I found a really, really attractive co.uk domain to be available at domainbank.net.

I rushed to purchase it right away, and I received an order confirmation, but domainbank.net seems unwilling to transfer the domain to my name. I have sent them several emails and messages via their support site, but they keep dragging their feet and do nothing to help.

These are (some of) my complaints:

1) They did not send me an invoice promptly, but claims it takes two weeks to do so. According to their faq pages it should not take more than 24 hours to receive an invoice

2) They are unwilling to contact the previous registrant, to finalize the transfer. They told me to do that!

3) It seems that they have also sold me a domain that is not even theirs to sell! A whois search show the domain as only just suspended, which I didn't find out untill I already paid.

4) Their system doesn't show the purchase in their backoffice.

5) If they (domainbank.net) are unable to finalize this deal, they are in breach of a legal contract, because they took my money for a service / product which they didn't deliver.

6) Domain registrars that does this should be banned from selling domains!

I have reported the incident to internic and ICANN, so I just hope that they will solve the problem for me.

So this is my advise: STAY AWAY FROM DOMAINBANK.NET

 

[dolansco]

The best place to complain is HERE.. ( and similar sites )

They hate to see complaints in public ..... ( bad PR )

Start a thread with their name in the title ... and mail a link to them ...

Works for me !

Gerard

 

[actnow]

STAY AWAY FROM DOMAINBANK.NET

I see that DomainBank.net is a Dotster registrar.

I think Dotster has their hands full from other legal problems.

Is the domain they sold you registered thru DomainBank.net?
Or, another Dotster registrar?
Or, another registrar that is not part of Dotster Holdings?

 

[Brett Lewis]

The advice in this thread is spot on. ICANN will intercede by sending a Problem Report to the registrar involved, attaching the complaint email at issue. This typically would bump the complaint to the top of the registrar's list, and force the registrar to take action. The registrar fails to act at its own peril, although I am not aware of a registrar ever actually being deaccredited by ICANN for failing to address customer complaints. If anyone knows of any examples where ICANN deaccredited a registrar, it would be interesting to know. For the most part, ICANN is more of a policy body than a regulatory body.



Brett E. Lewis, Esq.
Lewis & Hand, LLP
www.lewishand.com

 

[StockDoctor]

Well it is good that we have reports that ICANNT has actually forwarded something, or sent a problem report or anything to any registrar. I've actually never heard of a single instance where a registrar's accredation has been pulled, nor even any word of ANY action or penalty against a registrar of any manner, no matter the severity. The ICANNT accredations seem to just be a bad joke on domainers and the consuming public in general.

 

[Brett Lewis]

Well it is good that we have reports that ICANNT has actually forwarded something, or sent a problem report or anything to any registrar. I've actually never heard of a single instance where a registrar's accredation has been pulled, nor even any word of ANY action or penalty against a registrar of any manner, no matter the severity. The ICANNT accredations seem to just be a bad joke on domainers and the consuming public in general.

ICANN's lack of action can be very frustrating. They are much more of a policy body than a regulatory or policing body, and even then, very slow to act. Does ICANN have a mandate to regulate, or only to make policy? My sense was always the latter. The registrars are left largely to police themselves, with mixed results. Anyway, using the link to file a complaint with ICANN gives people at least one option for escalating their complaints without having to hire a lawyer, which can be costly. That they have worked for some people is great and may offer hope to others who are experiencing issues with their registrars.

Brett E. Lewis
Lewis & Hand, LLP
www.lewishand.com

 

[actnow]

I used the complaint form about one yr ago against Pool/Namescout and also
a phantom asian registrar. And, I got results.

I believe one of the reasons/excuses Icann stated they needed more revenue is
so they can use it to police the registrars and make them "play nice".

Has the add'l $ 0.25 per domain fee to Icann helped make the registrars "play nice" ?

 

[carlton]

... ICANN will intercede by sending a Problem Report to the registrar involved...

This process seems to actually work. I sent a complaint on a foreign registrar warehousing names and running phony auctions with shill bidding (can't prove all of this). After months of bullsh*t and lies from this company, I suddenly (1-2 days after filing complaint) get polite emails from them saying I had been awarded (4) domains on which I had bid during their BS fake auction. I attribute this sudden response and cooperation to ICANN forwarding my complaint/threat. :usa2:

The forthcoming EURid public beheadings I'm sure got this company to rethink how their criminal activity might backfire. They remain under the microscope until every auction I participated in is resolved properly. Evidence/examples of accreditation violations apparently gets the ball moving.

 

[Beachie]

Slightly dead thread but, just for reference, here's the official ICANN link:
http://reports.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi

 

[denny007]

Yeah domainbank - I had there 2 domains earning about $30/year but I let it expire rather than go through the hassle with those bastards.

 

[actnow]

How To Complain About An Registrar ?

I wonder if registrars have a link where they can complain about a customer?

:lol:

I have to believe there are some customers (from h*ll) that complain about
everything.

If Icann no longer answers to U.S. Dept of Commerce, Icann's ability to police
registrars will worsen.

It is also interesting to note that the orginator of this thread has not been to DNF since
2-10-06. I wonder if he ever got any results 2 yrs ago. ????