After reading thus thread - http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=77490 I wanted to try a simple experiment to see if it was co-incidental or if bots are logging domain searches on registrar sites and then buying them. I have picked 5 registrars and 5 domain names (one for each site) that no-one would pick by chance, all were available at the start. I am searching for them on the same site regularly to simulate interest in the name. I will do that for some days and see if any get taken as a consequence.
2 days after starting, none of the domains have been taken. I will continue for a few days to see if repeated interest and searches are triggering a buy.
A very relevant question if Amy's domains for testing are like oiuewrlkdoiewlkdsoiwelkdsoiewlkdsoi.com
Also, could it be someone with spyware on their computer that is causing the problem OR the registrar such as dotster or godaddy? If anyone has lost a domain name such as described on the other thread post the registrar here and we will see if it is only certain ones that have this issue.
The names are not just a jumble of letters, I wont say what they are yet as someone could choose to buy them, lol. I think if its happening there would at least be a human element involved, there must be 1000's of searches per day and who could afford to buy all of those day after day? Edit: To make doubly sure I have picked an additional set of domain names that would be more attractive to a human eye as looking like someone's business. I will continue to search for these in addition to the original names which would appear regular to bots, but possibly less appealing to humans. I will show all the names at the end, and registrar names.
What I would be most interested in finding out is if this is only happening at certain registrars. IE: is is someone sniffing traffic, or is it the regisrar themself, or is it some corrupt employee of the registrar. Be waiting to see the results
Ok, I have some kind of result. Something weird IS going on. I will now show the domain names and registrars as there has been an outcome for this part of the experiment. It started on 24th april. domainexperimentfordp.com was tested on godaddy.com The domain was not taken. domain-experimentfordp.com and other TLDs automatically was tested on domainmonster.com None of the domains got taken. domainexperimentdp.com was tested on register.com The domain was not taken. domain-experiement.com and other TLDs automatically was tested on namecheap.com None of the domains were taken. domainexperiment.com and other TLDs automatically was tested on domainsite.com At first none of the domains were taken. The domain name domainexperiment.cn got taken on the third day. Upon checking the site showed it as taken. See screenshot. http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/images/domainexperiment.png I checked that it was taken 3 times. I checked on other random registrars and it was not showing as taken. I tried to find when the domain was purchased and couldn't find any information. I will continue to check to find more information as to whether it is really taken, and if so when. I am still continuing the experiment with the second set of domain names.
Or something like nelson-jonesfruitcompanyinc.com that would be highly unlikely that someone else would want it, but it might bait someone who wants to hold it ransom.
Some nice work Amy, I'd agree it looks strange, though you'd have to wonder if it was helping or hindering the business. Firsly by registering a strange TLD and secondly by making the domain unavailable I think they'd lose out on business in the long run.
Well I have continued to check the availabilty as on the original thread it said that the domain got taken, then shortly after became available again. domainsite.com is currently showing that domainexperiment.cn is now available again! (anyone can check it themselves). There are various possibilities - 1. Someone is checking the searches, and registering what they see as attractive with their own country's TLD. They then either keep it, or ditch it if they think its not valuable. 2. domainsite.com have an error with their checking of availabilities. This would be a costly mistake to them as they would surely lose business if people were being told a possible domain was taken when it wasn't. 3. A bot/script/virus is checking search results and buying random results, which are then later checked by a human who will judge whether its valuable, and keep or ditch it. This would not seem to be spyware on my computer as it only happened on one registrar site. So far none of the other set of 'business looking' domains have been taken.
So.. if "they" can buy a domain and a week later ditch it, it must be the registrar themselves putting some kind of temporary hold on the domain and then a human later decides whether or not to keep it.
That seems to fit with part two of the post http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=78499&highlight=domain+stealing
I'd say this was the most likely. I'd wouldn't be economical for a 3rd party ro register domains based on a few search enquiries. It would however make sense for a registrar to check for any promising domains and maybe sell them at auction. They could just list the domain as taken, which would explain why it was only showing as unavailable through themselves and not on others. I'm still a bit perplexed why it only occured with the .cn version, maybe it's just a random bot and then it gets confirmed by a human if they think it looks valuable.
I don't know much about the market for .cn domains, it may be a factor specific to that. Example .de might be taken if the name meant something revelant in german as judged by the bot initially, and then checked by the human later.
More strange news.... One of the other set of domains has been taken in the same fashion on domainsite.com with the .cn name. http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/images/domainsite.png The name was free for all TLDs when I started the experiment. This can surely not be a coincidence. I will continue with the other domain names on the other sites. Edit: I have considered another factor, its possible that a person could register a certain TLD very cheaply, making that a more favourable TLD to them.