For Sale .INFO LR1 Expiration Warning

[William9]

Did you participate in the initial .INFO landrush (LR1)? Those names were awarded mid-September of 2001 and will expire mid-September 2003.

If you did, it is important that you NOW determine if you want to transfer or drop (not-renew). WHY NOW WHEN EXPIRATION IS 6 MONTHS AWAY?????

THE THREAT OF AUTO-RENEWAL

Between March of 01 and September 01, I clicked through the pages of registration contracts pre-registering with registrar after registrar. What were the details of the contracts that I agreed to? Do you remember?

Guess what - many registration contracts allow the registrar to AUTO-RENEW the domain and charge your credit card 90 DAYS before expiration. If the charge bounces, they access you $200.

MID-JUNE 03, your charge (without prior notice) will be charged for renewal. If your charge is rejected, the registrar may deny transfer of the domain unless you either 1). pay for the renewal and pay the $200 bounced charge fee or 2). if the registrar will let you get away with it, just paying the renewal, but not necessarily.

Do not get mad about it, you are the one that agreed to it in a contract. Regardless, you will be in for another year with that registrar, paying a significantly higher fee than you would with your preferred registrar.

THE DO-NOT-AUTO-RENEW NOTICE

So, it is important that you now decide not to renew or transfer now. The reason is that if you decide to notify the registrar not to renew, you must exactly notify them not to renew in the fashion required by the contract. The instructions for non-renewal on some foreign registrars are beyond me (even NS, which is English, is beyond me). A simple e-mail will not do, as that is not the non-renew requirement of the contract and a robot mail may returns saying “please make use of control panel”. For some registrars it IS simply clicking the appropriate box in your control panel to turnoff auto-renewal, for others, I give up.

TRANSFER-OUT

One of the new security features of .INFO and .BIZ is the auth info code. Even after numerous phone calls, E-mails, a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission, two notarized fax, and pulling out all my hair – it took OVER 3 MONTHS for me to transfer out of NS (I have a long thread on it). Even if the auth-info is obtained, some registrars deny transfers close (what they say is close is one month+!) to expiration. Because obtaining the code is not in all cases a walk in the park, if transfer-out is your decision, get the code now!

THINK ABOUT IT TODAY

It is useless to obtain the auth-info code one day after auto-renewal or too late to transfer. So, please give the issue thought today as that allows you options. If you wait, the registrar will decide for you in accordance with the terms of your contract.

Good luck.

 

[StockDoctor]

Thanks for the info mation William, very useful and valuable. This kind of information is the reason for my membership here.

 

[skylark]

Thanks Williams!
I recently spent a day and a half setting up an access database for tracking all my 58 dot info domain names. I set the report to alert me 3 months prior to renewal deadline - at which point I planned to decide on transfers. After reading your post I am going to change the date parameter to 4 months.

Question anyone - I have dot info domains in registrars all over the place . A small group of the dot info names I consider potentially quite valuable if I wait some years from now and I intend to develop some of them, the rest are simply protective registrations for the more valuable ones. I have been thinking about transferring valued ones (a small group) to places like register.com - or other registrars that make a big deal about security and transferring "protective" domains to low cost places such as Enom. However, I don't like the idea of having all domains in one registrar - no matter how reputable a registrar is, they can always develop "financial" or other problems in the future. Would welcome any suggestions as to how any forum folks would approach this or where you would transfer.

(By the way, I have had no trouble getting authorization codes. When one registrar didn't send them I simply sent an e-mail to afilias with detailed documentation of the dates and modes by which I had attempted to get authorization codes. Within two hours the registrar sent them to me (but of course they told afilias "they had already done so" (Ha!)
Skylark

 

[William9]

Skylark:

Glad you are taking to heart my advice as it probably will not cost you any more and clearly will allow you additional options.

You indicated “…transfer …valued ones (a small group) to places like register.com”. I suggest you check Register.com’s schedule of fees. . I have read posts indicating that they established a $200 transfer-out fee and require notarized documents, but I have not verified it.

Security is not my expertise. However, I speculate that you can achieve the same security at registrars that cost less. Mole has an excellent post on security. His advice included using a software package called Watch My Domains Pro – but I would rather you read his thread.

Based on reading various posts, the biggest domain security blunders seem to be 1). using the same password more than once in life 2). using the same username more that once, 3). giving anyone your username or 4). not making your domains resolve, if even to a parking page.

A blunder not related to security is not 100% ensuring that the admin e-mail address is under your control. Every day domains drop because the owner forgot the password and the admin e-mail is not accessible.

Regardless,

Good luck

 

[mole]

Thanks for the heads up, will. The best security we have here on DNF is the members diligence, good snooping and foresight. I will do the necessary checks since I can't afford to lose even one name in over 50. Thanks once again.

 

[timechange.com]

I'm glad I only have 4 .info domains

 

[William9]

Timechange indicated I'm glad I only have 4 .info domains .

I am also glad because it allowed me to easily pick off some valuable ones at LR1 without your competition. Thank you.

 

[skylark]

Re: register.com. I recently had confirmed with Register.com that there is NO charge to transfer a domain name out of register.com. However, there is a $200 charge to change ownership. This can be circumvented by simply transferring domain name (with same owner) to another registrar and then changing ownership. (recently had to advise a government agency that blundered badly on managing a domain name at register.com - they allowed someone who doesn't even work there to be administrative contact!)

Hey - Mole and or Williams - watch my domains pro? If either of you can post the domain link to Mole's info I would appreciate.

Thanks ALL!
Skylark

 

[octobus]

If you happen to own LR dot-biz ...

Check the registrar agreements too, atleast NS has some fishy text.

 

[mole]

Originally posted by skylark
Hey - Mole and or Williams - watch my domains pro? If either of you can post the domain link to Mole's info I would appreciate.

What do you think I am, a bludy DNF librarian? That's goh's job.

http://www.softnik.com

 

[skylark]

Thanks Mole. Checked out "watch my domain" stuff. Too bad I didn't pick up the link a week ago. I already laboriously did the data entry on all my domains by hand into access database. Looks like I could have saved hours of work by using it! Live and Learn . . . Grrrrrr

Skylark

 

[William9]

Skylark:

The software abstracts the information for you into a database from the Internet. It then dynamically (every time you connect and say update) gives you the current information. E.g. if someone changes your pointers or admin E-mail, if those are the column you set up for monitoring, you see it. In other words your Access database is history, while the software gives you updated on-line information. Maybe you should download the trial version?

Good luck.

 

[skylark]

It then dynamically (every time you connect and say update) gives you the current information. E.g. if someone changes your pointers or admin E-mail, if those are the column you set up for monitoring, you see it.

William, I'll be downloading trial software mainly out of curiosity because I have an interest in computer applications .

However, in my opinion, software that notifies me that somethings wrong with domain only when I update it isn't really practical for anything other than reassurance IF all's well. If someone has hacked my account and already changed the admin contact etc. . . . well, ideally one would want to be "beeped" within seconds. After all it doesn't take long for a thief to hide their tracks . . . that domains "history" in a certain sense . . the software - well, it just tells me the bad news. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound etc.!"
Skylark

 

[William9]

Skylark:

Thank for clarifying that Register.com’s charge of $200 ONLY applies to change of ownership (gulp, gulp!).

It was interesting how you circumvented that charge by changing Registrars. You are lucky that you were not in the position where you had a hot buyer. By the time you transferred to a new registrar, you could have lost the buyer. My experience has been that with the auth-info code in hand (best case?), a .INFO transfer BETWEEN REGISTRARS takes 7 to 10 days. That is not to be confused with CHANGE OF OWNERS with the same registrar which has only taken me hours, at the most. Intuitively I would have guessed the opposite!!

Register.com ran LR2 registrations through their budget unit. As I recall, one of hoops I had to jump through for the transfer-out was that their E-mails would come from one unit, but utter confusion as to where (which company) to log on to input the info. Rather than give board members incorrect advice, I suggest if you are transferring a LR2 out of Register’s budget unit, E-mail BOTH for the info-code & log on to BOTH to see where their codes click. It was relatively easy .INFO transfer-out task, it only took two or three weeks (rather than months) to solve and 6 E-mails.

Good luck

 

[skylark]

William - your info on Register.com's glitches w/LR2 may explain a odd event that happened to me. A few months ago I received an inquiry from an interested buyer for PERSONAL.INFO. I was quite suprised because you see I didn't know I "owned" it. Upon checking the whois and seeing my name as owner etc. and register.com as registrar I was even more perplexed because I did NOT use register.com for landrush 2 - only for landrush 1! For a long time register.com insisted it was my domain. Finally, they got it straightened out - some kind of computer glitch on their part. Now it's in the hands of the rightfull owner. Sounds like register.com botched landrush two from a computer point of view!


a .INFO transfer BETWEEN REGISTRARS takes 7 to 10 days. That is not to be confused with CHANGE OF OWNERS with the same registrar which has only taken me hours, at the most. Intuitively I would have guessed the opposite!!

- - - Just a misc. comment. I strongly suspect that the delay in dot info transfers between registrars has little to do with the registrars itself. I recall that my first dot info transfer to another registrar was delayed because of software/programming glitches in afilias managing of these new authorization codes. I wouldn't be suprised if afilias is still working at refining their program (new ideas such as authorization code always require zillions of hours of debugging!).
Skylark

 

[William9]

Skylark indicated:
…isn't really practical for anything other than reassurance IF all's well. If someone has hacked my account and already changed the admin contact etc. . . . well, ideally one would want to be "beeped" within seconds.

If you want to know about the type of problem we have been chatting about BEFORE it happens, no problem. Ms. Cleo of the Psychic Connection has helped me tremendously with that type of prediction - - in addition to communicating with my dead pets! I have a software application that I sell for 10 DNF$. You need to connect electrodes between your scull and the computer while running the software. Actually, a very small hole in the base of your brain will work – kidding aside - -

In my professional dealing, from time to time, I have had to help clients deal with funds fraudulently taken from their checking accounts. My experience in dealing with banks has been that all the legal stuff was irrelevant mumbo jumbo – there really was only two relevant issues as far as they were concerned - 1). I had to notify them TIMELY – If the client found out about the wrongdoing months later, banks would ignore it! If on the other hand banks were notified within 10 days of receipt of the checking account statement, they would INSTANTANEOUSLY help if you met point 2. 2.) The bank had to believe that the client was not at fault (or a co-conspirator) in the matter. E.g. was this the first instance or has this been happening monthly over the clients 3 accounts in the last 2 years.

Although I am speculating, if you determine that the admin E-mail was changed, I am sure you would have no problem in quickly obtaining 100% cooperation from your registrar to get back the domain or even having the registrar stop a fraudulent transfer in progress. But if the domain has been transferred to a 3rd registrar, good luck.

In brief, the software is one of the methods you could use to obtain TIMELY information you need to determine if a wrongdoing (or simple IP problem) has occurred with respect to your domains.

Good luck.

 

[skylark]

Although I am speculating, if you determine that the admin E-mail was changed, I am sure you would have no problem in quickly 100% cooperation from your registrar getting back the domain or even having the registrar stop a fraudulent transfer in progres

. . . if only domain registrars even remotely resembled banks. When it comes to thievery I think its best not to underestimate the speed and cunning of the professional hacker. So much is automated and registrars have no monetary incentive to spend expensive people time hassling with something they can't be held accountable to (unless you are a very, very valuable customer!)
Anybody out there with REAL experience with stolen names? Speak up! Let's gain some wisdom from your "pain".
Skylark

 

[William9]

Skylark indicated:

I strongly suspect that the delay in dot info transfers between registrars has little to do with the registrars itself.

I agree, I believe that it is the transfer system is set to intentionally take that long.

I have made it a one and half year project transferring-out my .INFOs from 20 .INFO registrars. From the point I have the CORRECT auth-info code (and it is going to be approved for transfer), over the last one and half years it has consistently taken 7 to 10 days for 95% of my transfers - including recent ones.

Good luck

 

[William9]

Oh my gosh, Octobus indicated:

NS has some fishy text

Thanks, I will keep an eye on it.

Good luck,

 

[.com.net.org]

Thanks for this info William.