Just wondering whats going on in the world of Domains, expecially the scams that are currently running.

If you log onto a domain reg site, and search the WhoIS database for a currently registered domain name. It comes back as being unavailbile, however some registras give you the option of Pre-Registering the domain when it becomes availible again.

You click this link, give them the details and then pay them.

Then, 2 weeks before the domain is due to expire, the company send the registee an e-mail. They go to their control panel, and re-register their domain. ( As they can, they own it, they get first come first serve on it )

However, what about all these people who have already paid other companys to get the domain when its availible again.

I myself have been caught in this trap, and as yet, after hundreds of e-mails, loads of telephone calls am still waiting for my refund.

What a scam

Who is doing this to you?

-t

The site i went through was www.totaldomains.co.uk

Their site since then has got a lot worse, they now charge 99GBP per domain. Its no longer https secure.

However, they still are asking you for credit card information on domains that are registered, UNSECURLY!!!!!

I've seen this before but I'm not sure that it is necessarily a scam. Make sure to read their TOS completely. I have seen some registrars offer a "service" which allows you to pre-register a domain so that if it becomes available, you would be able to get it. I know Dotster does this and charges you $5/year to have them keep track of the domain. There is no guarantee you will get the domain as most should state this. If the current owner renews the domain, you're out of luck. However, if you do get the domain, the $5 was just to monitor it, you still have to pay to register it.

That's the way I understand it but I'm not sure how the company you dealt with handles this. They may completely mislead people and in that case, they would be wrong.

Good luck,

Originally posted by Raiak
The site i went through was www.totaldomains.co.uk

Their site since then has got a lot worse, they now charge 99GBP per domain. Its no longer https secure.

However, they still are asking you for credit card information on domains that are registered, UNSECURLY!!!!!

Hmmm, very strange, says £99 (which is :eek: for a .co.uk - or anything for that matter) but then $99 on the unsecure order form. Also says £80+VAT on pricing structure. Whois isn't working, just says 'whois' on the page with the menu.

I don't think they are running a preregistration service, just a simple registration service but you have to check the domain yourself (via. the non-working whois)

There are other things I could point out. However I would be tempted to say that they are just starting up (started 2001 according to 'About') and trying to get everything working, however if they are taking money and not giving you what you paid for then that isn't right.

If you've paid them £99 or whatever and they haven't registered your domain and you really can't contact them try Trading Standards http://www.oft.gov.uk/Consumer/default.htm (I'm assuming your in the UK) and they should be able to help you

hth and makes sense (I'm tired)

Tom