Cameroon Typo-Squats all of .cm - DNForum - Domain Sales, Domain Forum, Domain Appraisals, Domain Registrars

**Edder** · 08-07-2006, 03:19 AM

The country of Cameroon, which owns the .cm cctld extension, has wildcarded every domain to a parked page.

Quote:

"As reported on CircleID, the nation of Cameroon, which controls the .cm top level domain, has typo-squatted all of the .com domain space. They have placed a wildcard DNS record to redirect all traffic to an ad-based search page. Unlike the earlier case of Verisign putting a wildcard in the real .com domain, ICANN has very little direct control over what a nation can do with their own TLD. Will the owners of .co and .om follow?"

Source: Slashdot.

Banned: denny007 · 08-07-2006, 03:24 AM

Yeah finally someone realized the huge money it can bring. To call this "typo squatting" ? They own the TLD so they can do whatever. If the domain is unregged, it is not typo squatting, because the company - TM owner - can register the domain for $$$.

Still waiting when .co (Colombia) realises how much money they could do with wildcards and also .om (Oman ?) would do some nice $$$$$$$.

**Ian** · 08-07-2006, 04:31 AM

That comes not as a surprise for that country since the state in that country virtually controls the media to silence its critics and remain in power. I wonder what might be the outcome of this since countries are free to do anthing they want with their CCTLDs. Multinationals might also be made aware of the potential in such names and rush in to gram those typos a prospect that might not be so viably attractive given strict control and bureaucracy of the government.

Banned: denny007 · 08-07-2006, 04:43 AM

yahoo.cm is pointing to Yahoo servers now. Yahoo hysterically fights any typos, I think their lawyers was threatening with some international lawsuit...

Or maybe as their feed is from yahoo they are licking their a$$

**Validweb** · 08-07-2006, 05:06 AM

There were a uk website using the .co domain in the form of myname.uk.co set up by a clever uk enterpreneur who registered uk.co and then offered subdomains as 'domain names' But the colombian dn authority changed their policy and lots of websites disappeared overnight.
www.uk.co

I've often thought about cameroon's domain.
Can anybody take a shot at how much money .cm will make for Cameroon (or whoever controls .cm)?

Banned: denny007 · 08-07-2006, 05:28 AM

OVT
Myspace.com 13500K Myspace.cm 27K
Google.com 5143K Google.cm 23K
yahoo.com 4416K Yahoo.cm 9K
So lets say they get typo traffic 2/1000 of all .com type-in traffic. I would say $8-digit per month profit...

**Validweb** · 08-07-2006, 05:50 AM

gosh, I wish I could become Cameroon. I'd then move to Monte Carlo.

**Ian** · 08-07-2006, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denny007

OVT
Myspace.com 13500K Myspace.cm 27K
Google.com 5143K Google.cm 23K
yahoo.com 4416K Yahoo.cm 9K
So lets say they get typo traffic 2/1000 of all .com type-in traffic. I would say $8-digit per month profit...

Wow, Denny it cannot get any better than this!!

**octobus** · 08-07-2006, 06:31 AM

Heheh.. I tried to register a .cm +12 months ago but the registy suddenly stopped taking applications and I lost over 300 euros. I guess they saw the goldmine too and didnt want to share it with anyone else.

**Vorty** · 08-07-2006, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denny007

So lets say they get typo traffic 2/1000 of all .com type-in traffic. I would say $8-digit per month profit...

XX.000.000 / month?? OMG

**tekz999** · 08-07-2006, 09:25 AM

.cm is handled by useless support. they steal money.

**SYSTEMX** · 08-08-2006, 07:28 AM

They will be switched off by ICANN. This is not legal.

Banned: denny007 · 08-08-2006, 07:49 AM

They will be switched off by ICANN. This is not legal.

Not legal - against WHICH international law please tell me please !

I.e. google.cm seems to be "on" since ever:
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/tr...&url=google.cm

And the publicity must be huge now, because the traffic increased 500% !
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/tr...&url=google.cm

**mulligan** · 08-08-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYSTEMX

They will be switched off by ICANN. This is not legal.

Since when did ICANN start controling ccTLD?

**ptesite** · 08-10-2006, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edder

The country of Cameroon, which owns the .cm cctld extension, has wildcarded every domain to a parked page.

Source: Slashdot.

Yeah, the .ws domain does the same exact thing.

It's kind of shady, and what's interesting with the .ws domain is that it takes 24 hours to even get put into their nameservers, and THEN the propogation starts. So, for a day or so after you buy the domain, they're getting free advertising.

Nice little scam.

Banned: WhoDatDog · 08-10-2006, 02:32 PM

Good for them! I read in a book somewhere that the United States used to engage in Slavery....at least I think that's what I read. You don't hear too much about it anymore. There are lots of people in the world capable of getting an economic advantage. There are very few wealthy people whose hands are totally clean.

I landed on about five of their pages just yesterday.

**fab** · 08-10-2006, 02:37 PM

Wow, I was waiting for this to happen. What a goldmine.

**SYSTEMX** · 08-10-2006, 03:55 PM

THEY TURNED EVERYTHING OFF.
I TOLD YOU SO! :baring_teeth:

Banned: denny007 · 08-11-2006, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYSTEMX

THEY TURNED EVERYTHING OFF.
I TOLD YOU SO! :baring_teeth:

In those couple of days they collected data worth of millions, and I think that was the main reason they did the wildcarding. They might quietly switch it on later again.

**tekz999** · 08-11-2006, 01:56 AM

I know the .cm registry 2 years ago already with DCG.