Is someone using automatic script to record other people's searches?

Today, when I was looking at lastmoment domains, I found out that "lastmomentcoupon.com and lastmomentcoupons.com " not registered yet. Somehow when I check it again after 5 - 10 minutes, they were gone.

I have checked the whois and they were registered with today date. It happens to me twice and now I have to register the domains straightaway if I find any domains interesting.

I have registered

last moment bid.com last moment bids.com , last momentauction.com , last moment auctions.com etc.. (I did not leave them for 5-10 minutes)
What do you think?

Is someone or group of people using automatic script to record other people's searches and register interesting domains themselves?

 

Where did you do the whois search? If it's Godaddy, they're well known for selling their whois queries

 

it happened to me 2... with whois i found a pretty nice domain name, then chat a bit with some of my friends to see if my idea was good, and when i was going to register it... it was gone. registered same day

 

Yes with godaddy. Because I usually register with them. I search the domains with other tools but to confirm availablity, I check with godaddy. So as you say, they steal other peoples' queries to sell?

 

Ive heard that various places do it, i used to search at godaddy then stopped, i search at namecheap now but ive heard they do it too, then there has been suggestions of other places doing this also.

If anyone can recommend a geniune place that they feel safer doing their research id be happy to hear of.

 

You may use.

www.learnwhois.com

 

There has been a lot of talk about this lately.... I guess it is really a growing problem...

 

Hi ryukenden, thanks for the link, bookmarked it.

Hope i dont sound too paranoid, would you and do you use it yourself? im sure you understand my caution.

 

Happens more often than you think. i use register.com or checkdomain.com to check availability and register with godaddy.

 

It is good to use other than godaddy to look for domains.

 

It was most probably taken by a taster, make sure you do not visit the domains.

To check domains, I recommend PCnames.com

 

Everyone believes that various companies sell their queries...but where? I've never seen an advertisement for them.

 

I heard that most sell to workers inside the company and the registrars biggest customers.

 

Google is not well known for selling their searches. Bob Parsons is against such activity. If anything is happening it appears to be persons intercepting GoDaddy WHOIS requests to the registry.

 

From what I've read @ Namepros, yes.

They don't really steal it, they save it & sell it afterwards. That's why it's not a good idea to do a Whois search on Godaddy, wait a few days then register the domain

 

best way to search is just try the domain in your address bar to see if there is a site on it

if not, then wait until you are ready to register it before ever typing it in to a domain search

 

It is a good idea but it will be tiring to type all domains. I sometimes come across with hundred of domains per day.

 

Using your method, www.test2.com isn't registered.

http://whois.domaintools.com/test2.com

 

I never said it would get them all, but it is a good test to at least start with if you are worried about someone stealing your domain before you get a chance to register it

 

You could still click to the blank page of test2.com but if domain is not registered, you usually be redirected to msn toolbar.