Registrar will not unlock my domains - really worried

[Mr Bo Jangles]

Hi all,
My previous registrar has sold all their clients (me included) to a new registrar (pacnames) and I now want to move them to a registrar where I have other business, but in attempting to do so, I was informed that the domains are locked and first need to be unlocked.
I have called and e-mailed the current Registrar but they are not returning my e-mails and have not unlocked them.
I am concerned because I've heard some bad rumours that this company refuses to enable transfers and has found some legal loophole to prevent clients moving.

Who do I write to to get this sorted out please?

[TinkyWinky]

Hi BJ (ooerrr?!)

Are you sure you cannot do this yourself? It is likely ot be hidden away somewhere with a really obscure text link. I had the same problem a while back and all the emailing in the world didn't help.

Once I found the 'unlock' I released the three domains and they transferred within a week!

Hope that helps
TW

[Mr Bo Jangles]

Hi TW,
I have really no idea what you are hinting at TW - where on earth, what on earth do I look at - where do I look at it? I thought we are talking about some database records that only the Registra has access to. How would I get access rights to that DB?

Cheers,

[Sanenet]

"Locking" a domain name means that the owner had put a password protect on the domain, and it can't be transferred without being "unlocked". It's used to protect against domain jacking, or employee theft.

Why it would be on in your case I don't know, but if you have a look around in your control panel (also check the FAQ if your registrar has one) you should spot an option to "LOCK" "UNLOCK" a domain.

[Mr Bo Jangles]

No, I think I've got a *major* problem. I just found a whole long three page thread over at Webhosting Talk forums about TotalNic(now PacNames).
How on earth this sort of thing can be allowed to go on for so long by ICANN in this day and age is completely beyond me. Apparantly there is no agency to effectively handle *major* complaints against a Registrar! There are MANY people affected by this awful company.

[chicagohh]

Your screwed. These guys have a very bad reputation with domainers. Have they changed your login info yet so that you can't even log in?

Start copying all your complaints to [e-mail]. and file complaints at [reports.internic.net...]

I had to do this once with a registrar in the Middle East who would not let go of a domain. It worked well. I also had the owner of Moniker send an email to someone at the same time so I don't know which actually did the trick.

[davezan]

How on earth this sort of thing can be allowed to go on for so long by ICANN in this day and age is completely beyond me. Apparantly there is no agency to effectively handle *major* complaints against a Registrar! There are MANY people affected by this awful company.

Unfortunately it's a possibility every domain name owner must face: the prospect
of their registrar being acquired by another.

Sorry to hear you're among those affected by this latest merger and acquisition. :(

Unfortunately, I doubt even you know who will do anything about this as they're
still consolidating those accounts to fit their models. About all you can do is just
persist and stay alert to any news from them.

[Mr Bo Jangles]

thanks chicagohh, I'll do just that

[davezan]

I just got an update from one of my fave forums that Pacnames' work should be
done by Monday, Nov. 1. Try calling them by then.

[Mr Bo Jangles]

thanks davezan I will do that - mind you their support is not even answering e-mails!

Regards,