Rant: GoDaddy drives me MAD!

[Mr.Domains]

They are such cretins!

I have about a dozen domains set to expire in the next month at GoDaddy, so I thought what better time to transfer them out. I have been caught out transfering domains before when my contact email hasn't been right, so I unlock them all and update the contact details at the same time, just to be sure. I then issue my transfer request. I have to submit auth codes for each domain, (as GoDaddy make you request each auth code seperatly this takes over an hour), and finally my transfer is paid for and underway.

I then recieve a dozen emails from GoDaddy:

Your transfer to another registrar could not be completed for the following reason(s):

Express written objection to the transfer from the Transfer Contact. (e.g. - email, fax, paper document or other processes by which the Transfer Contact has expressly and voluntarily objected through opt-in means).

I think "What?"! I didn't object! Quite the oposite, I just spend the last hour approving each domain individually with Auth codes!

I then read further down the email and spot this:

The express written objection may be the result of a pending or recently completed Change of Registered Name Holder. This is an opt-in process during which the new Registered Name Holder agrees not to transfer for 60-days. This domain will be transferrable on 3/19/2007.

So because I updated my contact details, GoDaddy are going to hijack my domains for the next two months, well after their expiry date, meaning that I have no other choice but to renew at GoDaddy or loose my domains!?!

How do they get away with these kind of tactics?

 

[GUA]

Godaddy are scum,
They charged me $10 for incorrect whois information, when it was completely correct. Then they just ignore the emails they don't want to reply to.
Hence why i am moving all my names away from Godaddy... any registrar suggestions fir a valuable portfolio?

I feel for you, that sucks.

 

[YL-TRADER]

I think there really needs to be something done about this.

Either GoDaddy MUST publish the date that they require you to "get out" and notify you of it, just as they do the expiration date, or they have to get rid of this "rule".

The ability to move YOUR property should be valid from the time you register it until it expires.

I have over 500 domains with them that I wanted to transfer to Moniker this month and I was told I could not do it due to this "rule". ICANN should be the ones that dictate this protocol, not GoDaddy.

Anne

 

[dodo1]

This happened to me, too! I tried to move a domain to Moniker, but I got the same message... Luckily I have only four or five domains left at GD.

 

[YL-TRADER]

This is the actual policy about transfers and there are NO rules or loopholes for registrar's to hold your domain if you adequately show you are authorized to transfer it.

http://www.icann.org/transfers/text.htm#TransferDomain

I believe that GoDaddy does this so that it can have first dibs on scooping up expired domains with traffic.

 

[Deleted member 5660]

This is the actual policy about transfers and there are NO rules or loopholes for registrar's to hold your domain if you adequately show you are authorized to transfer it.

http://www.icann.org/transfers/text.htm#TransferDomain

I believe that GoDaddy does this so that it can have first dibs on scooping up expired domains with traffic.

I have submitted numerous complaints about this in the past but ICANN refuses to act. If you create a big enough fuss (I start complaining to a bunch of ICANN officials) the Godaddy lawyer will cave. Her name is Christine Jones and is at [email protected]. She is nasty so watch out!

 

[Mr.Domains]

I have just recieved a boiler-plate response from GoDaddy:

Thank you for contacting Online Support. On 01/18/07 the domains registrant contact was updated. According to GoDaddy policy the domain cannot be transferred until 60 days has past since the last registrant contact change. This is stated in our legal agreements.

I have responded with the following, (not that it will do any good):

Well in that case, please can you cancel the changes I made to the contact details and proceed with the transfer. I never knowingly agreed to the fact that my domains would be held hostage for the next 2 months, (past their expiry date), simply because I ensured the contact details were correct, before initiating the transfer!

I want to make a complaint about this, even if I am just adding to a large pile. Who do I complain to, ICANN? Should I just email them via their contact page, or is there a better way to lodge complaints?

 

[Gerry]

You will love this thread!

http://www.dnforum.com/showthread.php?t=203502

Selling "expired" domain names on their auction site as their own expired names that were not even at GoDaddy to begin with. And, the domain names were not even expired!

Plus, this went on for over two weeks!

 

[jdk]

If you are transferring them to Moniker, contact them at Moniker and explain the situation. They have a contact at Godaddy and can still transfer out your names from there into Moniker. Only rule to this is if you recently purchased the domain from someone but seeing you only switched the email address it shouldnt be a problem.

Another thing you can try is to tell Godaddy you were updating your email address to a valid email per the terms of ICANN therefore none of your other information has changed. If you complain enough they will remove the block.

 

[Mr.Domains]

I have submitted the following complaint to ICANN. It says that "Although ICANN's limited technical mission does not include resolving individual customer-service complaints, ICANN does monitor such complaints to discern trends. As a courtesy, we will also forward your complaint to the registrar for review and further handling:

Dear ICANN,

I'm sure you have a large pile of these already, but I would like to add to it with a complaint about GoDaddy hijacking their customers' domains!

According to ICANN Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy, (http://www.icann.org/transfers/policy-12jul04.htm), "Registered Name Holders must be able to transfer their domain name registrations between Registrars provided that the Gaining Registrar's transfer process meets the minimum standards of this policy and that such transfer is not prohibited by ICANN or Registry policies."

But GoDaddy totally disregards these policies, inventing "legal agreements" to allow them to reject transfers and stop their customers from taking their business elsewhere. These include not letting you transfer your domains during the first two months of the registration, the last two months of the registration, or the two months following a change of address, meaning that for at least 6 month out of the last year my domains have been un-transferable!

I, as the Registered Name Holder, submitted a transfer request for 10 of my own domains registered at GoDaddy, complete with Authorisation codes and was told the following:

"Your transfer to another registrar could not be completed for the following reason(s):

Express written objection to the transfer from the Transfer Contact. (e.g. - email, fax, paper document or other processes by which the Transfer Contact has expressly and voluntarily objected through opt-in means)."

This is clearly not true, as I am the 'Transfer Contact', and I gave my express consent along with the 10 Authorisation codes. When I questioned this fact I was told because I had updated my address before issuing the transfer, the domains have now been locked at GoDaddy for the next two months, and cannot be transferred before 3/19/2007.

As all of these domains expire before that date, what they are essentially saying is that I can either renew them with GoDaddy or lose them, I have no other choice...

This is wrong! The ability to move YOUR property should apply from the time you register it until the time it expires. This even contravenes ICANN's own policies!

I am an active member of the Domain community, owning over 600 domains at a dozen different registrars, and a long-time member of several of the leading online domain forums and communities, and all I hear, over and over again, are stories about GoDaddy hijacking their customers domains. Please do something about this before it goes any further!
Regards,

Neil Hillman

I suggest anyone else who feels strongly submits a similar complaint via:
http://reports.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi
(Feel free to copy my wording if you like).

They say they "monitor complaints to discern trends", so if enough of us complain then maybe the will act on it...

Thanks circa1850, jdk and others for your info and support!

 

[Deleted member 5660]

They say they "monitor complaints to discern trends"

Translation from ICANN-speak to English:

"You can submit all the complaints you want but we don't have to do anything"

 

[NameGuy]

I can put in a transfer out from godaddy and have it completed within 1-2 hours. Never had a problem and they are the fastest to release of any registrar I have used.

 

[Digital Address]

I can put in a transfer out from godaddy and have it completed within 1-2 hours. Never had a problem and they are the fastest to release of any registrar I have used.

All of you should know by now that I'm pretty much of a gadfly when it comes to the registrars, their support, etc. But I must concur with NameGuy! For the last few months, Godaddy has worked almost flawlessly and any transfers to Moniker (where I am consolidating all of my domains) were completed in a matter of hours.

They are such cretins!

I have about a dozen domains set to expire in the next month at GoDaddy, so I thought what better time to transfer them out. I have been caught out transfering domains before when my contact email hasn't been right, so I unlock them all and update the contact details at the same time, just to be sure. I then issue my transfer request. I have to submit auth codes for each domain, (as GoDaddy make you request each auth code seperatly this takes over an hour), and finally my transfer is paid for and underway.

I then recieve a dozen emails from GoDaddy:



I think "What?"! I didn't object! Quite the oposite, I just spend the last hour approving each domain individually with Auth codes!

I then read further down the email and spot this:



So because I updated my contact details, GoDaddy are going to hijack my domains for the next two months, well after their expiry date, meaning that I have no other choice but to renew at GoDaddy or loose my domains!?!

How do they get away with these kind of tactics?

A few months ago I attempted some contact changes, specifically my new email address, and a red informative blurb popped up basically telling me that I would not be able to transfer out for sixty days if I approved the changes. So I went back and ticked off those domains expiring in sixty days or more and then made the changes! Did you see this blurb before you approved the changes?

 

[Mr.Domains]

Translation from ICANN-speak to English:

"You can submit all the complaints you want but we don't have to do anything"

Actually, quite the opposite, I can officially tell you it pays to complain!

I recieved a reply to my second GoDaddy support request saying:

Thank you for contacting Online Support. Unfortunately, we are unable to cancel changes you've made to the registry once they've been submitted. Transfer policies are put into effect through the main registry Verisign and we have to comply with them. When the transfers were initiated, you agreed to the terms of the transfer agreement whether you had chose to read them at that time or not.

I apologize for any inconvenience, and you may continue the transfer on 3/19/2007 provided that the transfer is in accordance with the agreement below, but we will be unable to complete the transfers until that time.

But then the next day, following my complaint to ICANN, I receive a second email from Camille Ede, Director of Domain Services at GoDaddy, as follows:

Thank you for your message. Your message was fowarded to us since we are the sponsoring registrar. Please note that when you complete a Change of Account or change the registrant on a domain name you agree not to transfer the name for sixty days. The reason why we prevent names from being transferred during that time is because most domain hijackings occur right after the registrant has changed. This is our way of protecting our customers. However, we have unlocked the domain names for you so that you can transfer. If you have any further questions please let me know.

Regards,

Camille Ede
Director of Domain Services
GoDaddy.com
(480) 505-8800 x4388

GoDaddy: 0 / End User: 1

 

[Deleted member 5660]

GoDaddy: 0 / End User: 1

Well. not exactly. ICANN knows about it and they won't make Godaddy comply with the rules. Either you don't know the tricks and you get stuck with the policy or you spend all this time fighting Godaddy over $6.95. Either way we are screwed as I see it. If ICANN made them stop doing it maybe you would have a point but they won't. ICANN won't make Godaddy comply with the port 43 whois requirments either.

I always wonder what compensation ICANN gets for not enforcing these rules.

 

[copper]

I always wonder what compensation ICANN gets for not enforcing these rules.

Donations from registrars:greenconfused:

 

[namestrands]

I managed to resolve my similar issue, by emailing [email protected] and then posting on Bob Parsons blog calling him "a sensationalist, peter pan, and I think I used the words Twat and a few other unsuitable profanities.

Suffice to say that they released all my domains from lock and allowed me to transfer.

Thank you for the reply.

Once again, we offer our apology for your trouble, particularly if any confusion was caused on our end. Please know that our office is also in receipt of the comment you posted to bobparsons.com as well. Our intent is only to help you resolve this matter. As indicated in our previous correspondence, we have already re-activated many cancelled domains in your account. Any lock preventing transfer away of these domains it per ICANN regulations (reference) and our Domain Name Registration Agreement (reference) and cannot be circumvented. If you have domains registered more than 60 days ago, we would be happy to review each individually to have any Go Daddy specific locks removed to allow for a transfer away.

If additional correspondence is necessary, please address directly to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you if there are domains registered more than 60 days ago that need to be unlocked.

Kindest regards,

Noah Plumb
Office of the President
[email protected]
WildWestDomains.com
14455 N. Hayden Rd. Suite 226
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(480) 505-8868 Phone

RESULT after some more banter and abuse

Thank you for your patience while we further investigated and resolved this matter.

As indicated, the holds on these domains was not due to ICANN restrictions, but internal restrictions regarding the change of your contact information. As a measure of good will, we have removed the hold on the domains from the attached list, per your request. Unfortunately, we are not at liberty to remove any further holds.

Once again, we appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter.

Please let us know if our office may be of assistance with any further concerns.

Kindest regards,

Noah Plumb
Office of the President
[email protected]
GoDaddy.com
14455 N. Hayden Rd. Suite 226
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(480) 505-8828 Phone
(480) 275-3975 Fax