This is a post from 09/29/2007 by Bjorn Kassoe Andersen, founder, owner and leader of Direction, a management and communications consulting company based in Denmark, which had its domain, direction.com, stolen back in 2006.
My name is Bjørn Kassøe Andersen; founder, owner and leader of Direction, a management and communications consulting company based in Denmark.
In November 2006 the domain name we use for our English language website, direction.com, was stolen. To our surprise, ICANN’s general domain name regulations were of no help getting it back. On this website we describe how to prevent getting your domain stolen – and what you can do if it should happen to you. We welcome your comments. Here is a link to the rss feed with new entries from us and here is the rss feed with comments from others.
This post was authored by Direction Group ApS, the prior owner of preventdomaintheft.com.
Preventdomaintheft.com was formerly owned by Bjorn Kassoe Andersen. In October, 2011, Mr. Andersen sold the domain and website to Traverse Legal, a law firm specializing in internet law and assisting clients on domain theft issues.
So now this weblog is out in the open – Google found it on its own, even before I got around to advertising it … it’s taken a little while for us get things ready, this was really just a spare time project.
Godaddy just gave away one our most valuable domains http://www.3pd.com. All the culprit had to do was hack our account at godaddy and out of nearly 500 domains we thought were safe, he picked just one. Perhaps he was just testing the waters and intends to come back for all of them now that he knows how easy it was. Godaddy’s response was “tough luck go to ICANN”.
Do you know what it takes to get a domain back?! You have to file a formal law suit with ICANN which should be called “ICANT” and pay an attorney and ICANN $1,500.00. In other words we will have to dish out nearly $10,000.00 to recover a 9 dollar domain!
Doing business with the company more interested in their next Superbowl model than basic security for their client’s assets, will cost us upwards of $10,000.00 to recover a nine dollar domain!
This coming Superbowl I will be watching out for the next Godaddy bouncing bimbo wondering if the guy that stole our domain is watching too, thanking Bob Parsons for making him and all the other lowlifes that so easily hacked Godaddy accounts so much easy money.
Bob, when you grow up and get past your adolescent obsessions please consider a little security for us poor slobs that trusted you and your incompetents to keep our domains safe.
Hi and sorry for delayed reply – I was unexpectedly offline while on holiday. I don’t know the exact situation you are describing. It seems that a court case is the only way to go if you don’t have a trademark protection. If you have a trademark or otherwise can document that the domain has been in use and that the other party acted in bad faith you may use the “shortcut” we did, using the rules for domain name disputes. Cost of this is USD 1500 + legal fees if you don’t do the work yourself. Those rules don’t say anything about and do as such not apply to thefts. So, sadly, it seems your case is another example that the current system is dysfunctional. You cannot be sure that the problem occurred with Godaddy. Could be that you mail account was hacked or compromised in some other way.
Actually the culprit was able to determine my password which was kept in a single and secure PC with all the latest anti-everything.
He could have taken my entire portfolio of nearly 500 domains. The fact that he didn’t points to an inside job. He picked a time of night when most would be offline and unable to receive a warning email. He must have been concerned with the theft reaching the “grand theft” threshold where local and federal authorities can intervene.
All the best,
Jack
The Danish police asked me as one of the first things a question you may want to consider too: Does anyone else have access to your computer?
Also: Ask Godaddy to provide log details about who changed what and when from which address and possibly also what which ip-no. You need that info if you want to take the case further.
my domain was also hijacked last feb still hijacked because i refused to pay for a internet lawyer. I was reimbursed from the company it was stolen from and was told it was my problem now since i sent away the domain to dogaddy. But whatever i have a new domain now and godaddy can eat a cock.
I just found out my domain name was stolen proabably from my gmail account. Now it’s registered by someone else and it a good name what can I do. and why didn’t gmail inform there mail paerticipants
I’m sorry to hear you had this kind of extremely unpleasant experience. Actually, it’s quite easy for others to hack an gmail- or other web-based email account unless you are very careful with your security settings and the password and hints you choose – that was what happened to Sarah Palin when her account was hacked.
As I’ve described elsewhere on this site, it is very hard to do something about a situation like yours, unless you have your domain trademark registered. Even then it takes a lot of work and will cost you money. Check out my posts on this weblog – and also go to http://www.traverselegal.com, they have more detailed advice (and want to sell their services).
You can’t hack gmail. That is b.s. My computer guy said it isn’t possible. ticketslayer@gmail.com LOL
That is my web-site above but if you go to that link you will not find my site.
it appear I was subjected to domain theft 24 hours ago
Not only won’t my web-site open but my links to login
to my Hostgator Cpanel and WordPress back-office where i went to try to fix things all go to this site with the grinning female
don,t know what to do
@Don: Same thing happened when my domain was stolen. Look through my case described on this weblog, you may find some hints how to proceed.
Here’s what to do:
Don’t use a registrar that’s shady.
Get a lawyer and sue 000domains… Pure and simple. If what you say is true, they’re going to give in. That’s all.
Anything else– you’re whining. The system doesn’t work? Put your balls on the line and change it.