Always lock up your domain names, even the ones you don’t think anyone would ever want. Case in point, I’ve been fatblogging since Jan 2004 at www.helpjimgetslim.com.
But I stopped going to the gym last year (or longer than that) for a bit, so I stopped fatblogging as well, and I accidentally let the domain expire in Jan 07. So I’ve been waiting to “grab it back” in 90 days. So yesterday I tried to get it back through Godaddy and it wouldn’t let me.
Now, today, I go to look at it and I see that it has been registered and has some cash parking landing page on it. WTF???
Why would anyone want this domain? Another Jim that wants to get slim? What are the odds?
I’ll keep you updated on my quest. But I want my domain back. I’m ready to go back to the gym.
Does a bump count as hlep? Bumped!
My sympathies with you, Jim.
A few years ago I had a domain name called “lessbrilliant.co.uk”. I did some writing, music reviews, that kind of thing, but for one reason or another I didn’t keep it up. A couple of months later I regretted not keeping the domain name so I went to re-apply for it, and it had been taken!! Who the heck would want lessbrilliant.co.uk? All the other lessbrilliants were still available, of course.
To add insult to injury it was one of those generic, hideous, and highly suspect search portals with a heavy leaning towards singles, sex and dating. Like “lessbrilliant” is a great name for that field!
I think some people have software that scours the internet for abandoned domain names, and then snaps them up to glean the traffic that is still searching for the old site. Also, it claims it has to charge enormous administrative fees to release said name. It is altogether a frustrating and nefarious business.
I really hope you get the better of them.
But I want my domain back. I’m ready to go back to the gym.
Uh… are you sure you need to have your domain back before going back to the gym?
I wasn’t aware of this pre-requisite… ;-)
I’ve let domain names go, and they immediately get picked up by cyber squatters. What they do is buy up the name, use the legal cancellation policy, pick it up again, etc…. they end up not paying for their names, and in the mean time they get to use it for advertising purposes. It sucks, but it’s legal.
PS: Jim, if you’re losing weight and want to do some blogging about it, consider joining us!
That’s Rick. I had no idea that’s how they do it. Crazy stuff.
Yeah, it’s really crazy. The guy at GoDaddy.com, Bob Parsons, says that the majority of domain names registered right now are handled this way. He’s actively working to ban the practice, but it’s an uphill battle. Personally, I think it’s a pretty lousy practice.
Jim:
GoDaddy is notorious for stealing domains. If you look at their site, they have a place where you can bid on them. When a name expires, within minutes sometimes the harvesters of domain names snatch it all up. Then they want to sell it back to you for a profit. Never use GoDaddy to register domains. That is my suggestion.