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NetSol were scammy long before the web.com purchase. Back in 2007/2008 they were "front-running" meaning that if you searched for a domain name and didn't buy

by crikli 7y ago

NetSol were scammy long before the web.com purchase. Back in 2007/2008 they were "front-running" meaning that if you searched for a domain name and didn't buy immediately, those dickheads would buy the domain and then demand a much higher price to sell it to you. Then when they got called out for it they tried to act all "oh, this is for YOUR benefit."[1] And they blatantly lied about the details of what they were doing. [1] https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2008/01/network-solutions-defends-frontrunningto-stop-frontrunners/ https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2008/01/network-soluti...

Spare_account 7y ago
Your source doesn't support your assertion. > He acknowledged that the company does, indeed, put a hold on the domain name after a search is performed and reserves it for four days, but that if a customer searches for the same domain within that time at networksolutions.com, it will be available to register. After the four days is up, the domain is released.
- inetknght 7y ago
  That sounds like it supports @crikli's assertion.
- crikli 7y ago
  I'm the source because I experienced this firsthand in 2007. I found the article because I needed to validate an almost 12 year old memory. :) As for the quote you picked out, it's a partial truth. The partial truth is that sure, the domain was "available to register"...at a multiple of the standard price. I don't remember what the multiple was. And if you wanted to purchase through another registrar you couldn't because NetSol held the domain. This all resulted in a class action lawsuit: https://techcrunch.com/2008/02/25/network-solutions-icann-sued-over-domain-front-running/ https://techcrunch.com/2008/02/25/network-solutions-icann-su... That was settled a year later: https://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/29/network-solutions-settles-class-action-from-frontrunning-practice/ https://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/29/network-solutions-sett... Edit: I removed where I said the part about the domain being released after four days was a lie. I remember it being much much longer but at the same time, I don't remember all the details well enough to make a statement of that potency.
- asclepi 7y ago
  There was no net transfer of money from NetSol to the registry for those domains, except when a customer would accept the offer for the domain. They registered the name, and just before the 5-day ICANN Add Grace Period would end, they reversed the registration and received full credit for the registration fee. At that time the domain would immediately become available for registration again through any registrar with no grace/redemption/deletion periods.

by crikli 7y ago

Spare_account 7y ago

Your source doesn't support your assertion. > He acknowledged that the company does, indeed, put a hold on the domain name after a search is performed and reserves it for four days, but that if a customer searches for the same domain within that time at networksolutions.com, it will be available to register. After the four days is up, the domain is released.

inetknght 7y ago
That sounds like it supports @crikli's assertion.
crikli 7y ago
I'm the source because I experienced this firsthand in 2007. I found the article because I needed to validate an almost 12 year old memory. :) As for the quote you picked out, it's a partial truth. The partial truth is that sure, the domain was "available to register"...at a multiple of the standard price. I don't remember what the multiple was. And if you wanted to purchase through another registrar you couldn't because NetSol held the domain. This all resulted in a class action lawsuit: https://techcrunch.com/2008/02/25/network-solutions-icann-sued-over-domain-front-running/ https://techcrunch.com/2008/02/25/network-solutions-icann-su... That was settled a year later: https://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/29/network-solutions-settles-class-action-from-frontrunning-practice/ https://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/29/network-solutions-sett... Edit: I removed where I said the part about the domain being released after four days was a lie. I remember it being much much longer but at the same time, I don't remember all the details well enough to make a statement of that potency.
asclepi 7y ago
There was no net transfer of money from NetSol to the registry for those domains, except when a customer would accept the offer for the domain. They registered the name, and just before the 5-day ICANN Add Grace Period would end, they reversed the registration and received full credit for the registration fee. At that time the domain would immediately become available for registration again through any registrar with no grace/redemption/deletion periods.