Look So Easy

Look so easy to start a blog, right? Just register a domain name, find a host, and start blogging. Well, on my very first attempt, my chosen domain name was stolen right from under me. Things are not always so clean and transparent when you get on the net.

After contemplating possibilities of interest, I narrowed my chosen domain name to www.WantItEasy.com. Next, I checked name availability on GoDaddy.com, where I have registered other websites. It was available. Then I chose to host it on DreamHost.com instead because of a discount from my son, Elliot. They offered both services. Great, I signed up for both domain name registration and web-site hosting. DreamHost acknowledged receipt (confirmation of order/payment) on Wednesday, August 22, 2007. Checked on the 23rd … no name yet, account was “pending approval”.

On Monday, August 27th at 4:51pm, Dreamhost.com sends me e-mail approval of my new domain, saying it would be activated within 30 minutes and gave instructions on using the new website. Did it work — NO! I checked and found that www.WantItEasy.com, was now registered by DomainDoorMan, LLC. as of Sunday, August 26th. That’s Right! The day before I get final approval from DreamHost, it was stolen by someone out prowling on the NET.

How did these “Wolves” find out? Was it at someone at GoDaddy or DreamHost, or did they intercept online traffic? Was there some report generated on domain names searches that alerts these predators? Kinda scary, isn’t it. Definitely not fair.

When I complained to DreamHost, they said:

Unfortunately it looks like someone else registered the domain name. This
is entirely possible until a domain is registered through someone else.
We had not registered it for you as your account was not yet approved.

You can add a new domain to your account (for no charge) through the
control panel here:

https://panel.dreamhost.com/?tree=domain.registration

Please don’t hesitate to write back if you need help with anything else.

Thanks!
Mike S

When I called them to ask about the delay in approval of my account and registration of my domain name, the service rep told me they had suffered a power outage. Not very satisfying responses.

So today, I checked out my old chosen domain name, www.WantItEasy.com. Guess what, it’s still available. Some “Wolf”, grabbed it because it was “pending approval” under my registration. When nobody approached them to buy this domain name back, they lost interest and dropped it. Wonder if they ever paid for a month of name registration - is that even possible? Watch out… there are such things as tech “Wolves” they are on the prowl for easy prey.