Ransomed Domain

Do they have the right to do what they did?

[freshfish]

Hello,
Sorry for the dramatic title, but I am at a loss.
I had a domain that was for a static site for my mother and we never really updated it...but she would get contacts from it every now and again.

I missed the renewal (changed my email address, old one was spam ridden). So I checked the registrar 000domains and it was no longer on my owned domains list. The site leads me to SEDO and are asking for offers before it had expired/released. I had contacted 000domains and they said they can reacquire it for $100+

If you try to make an offer for it on SEDO it claims its a premium domain (which it is not as it had all of like 100 hits/month)

Did they hijack/ransom the domain name? When it gets released, does the registrar reacquire it to try and resell it at a premium? Or will it be gobbled up by domain hunterS? I have an account withe Snapnames but not sure what happened here - any light shed on this would be great

Thanks so much

[wildbest]

I missed the renewal

So, you're no longer the owner of this domain name!? You can check out who is the current registrant on registrar's whois page.

Of course, the new owner has the right to park it with Sedo and ask a price they find it appropriate.

[Zamboni]

If you can get it back from 000domains for around $100 that's not too bad. I believe Godaddy will hold your name for 30 days after it expires, but then I think you'll need to pay $80 to get it back.

It sounds like your domain is in the redemption period and can only be reregistered by the original owner through the current registrar. 000domains likely has a parking deal with SEDO for domains in the grace/redemption period. You can do a web search on "domain name grace period" for more info.

[freshfish]

Thanks for the responses.
It has not been registered by someone new but I was totally confused when it was parked at SEDO (and yes i do believe they have a deal) but what got me was the fact that they were asking for "offers" over $1000 because it was a "premium" domain.

So they essentially park it on SEDO and try to trick the previous owner into offering money for it as opposed to some "re-renewal fee"

Any take on this would help me understand the situation
Thanks

[davezan]

Did they hijack/ransom the domain name?

Some people who don't necessarily understand this business might. But as one
who worked in the registrar business before, let me share a few things.

First, your registration agreement's terms defines one another's relationships.
One of them happens to say you don't really "own" the domain, and you only
"have" it as long as it's paid for.

The moment the domain expires, your registration agreement-contract expires
too. If you take time to read your registrar's contract, you'll also find a term
essentially saying "we can do anything to the domain name after it expires" up
until it's deleted from their system.

I don't know 000domain's policy for expired domains, so best ask them.

Then again, I've explained that to some people who complained they lost their
domains simply because they expired, yet some still believed we conspired in
some way. Goes to show some people will believe whatever they want, even
if it isn't necessarily true.

David

[TheGrid]

You are out of luck in these shark infested waters. Try domains.adrforum.com.

Please let us know what comes out of it if you pursue the arbitration route.

[g1smd]

*** So they essentially park it on SEDO and try to trick the previous owner into offering money for it as opposed to some "re-renewal fee". ***

if you have a new email address, they are not going to know you are the previous owner of the domain.