My Domain Has Been Stolen From My Old Host!! I Need Help...

schooglepets · 11-14-2002, 11:37 PM

I got a host called acidhost.net and got a domain (schooglepets.com) through them. They got it from GoDaddy.com. The next day they closed without giving me a refund on the Hosting or domain. They never gave me the account info on the domain, and I e-mailed them about it, and the only response I got was "die". I was wondering what I could do to try and get my domain back. My new host tried helping me out by placing a transfer request on ENOM, but they never accepted or declined after a week so it cancelled itself. I maybe thinking of, if there is a way to make an anonymous offer on the domain so they would get money if they gave it to me. I think they are too lazy to go and get the info. So I figure if I offered a buck or two they would accept so they could get some money and they wouldn't have to do any work. If this is possible or if you can think of any other way please either reply here or e-mail me at jls33fsls@aol.com.

Thank You

schooglepets · 11-14-2002, 11:43 PM

well, how exactly am I suppost to do that....I am only 14

**RMF** · 11-15-2002, 12:07 AM

Keep all email that you have exchanged with them, and make backups of them. Print them too. Find proof that you did own the domain, "invoices", "archive.org info", etc.

Now if this company actually emailed you with "die" as the message, that could be represented as a threat to your life.

As for the domain, it doesn't seem like one worth keeping. But personally, if someone stole a domain of mine that wasn't great, I would still go after them. For the principle

RMF

**MarkMitford** · 11-15-2002, 08:10 AM

If you aren't Alex Dagenhart then it looks like Acidhost.net ripped you off and registered the domain name to them not you :(

I hope you have kept some proof that you paid them for the domain name. Good luck.

Mark......

**mole** · 11-15-2002, 10:05 AM

What do you expect from a name like AcidHost.com?

Never deal with internet scums.

schooglepets · 11-15-2002, 06:01 PM

well, I still have the paypal reciept and it has the domain name on it.

**Togoodhlth** · 11-19-2002, 01:39 AM

Can you get someone to call for you? A parent or guardian, family friend etc?
Also did you contact paypal as that is how you paid for the service?

Personally I would call them and fire off a certified letter. Then, assuming they are in business I would contact the Better Business Bureau in CA. and file a complaint.
Something else that once worked for me was calling the police department (in their city). I actually had a cop call someone and the person immediately refunded my money for fear of potential legal problems.

Good Luck and let us know how it turns out.

schooglepets · 11-19-2002, 06:28 PM

How did you get the polices phone number for the area?

schooglepets · 11-19-2002, 10:05 PM

I just sent a complaint to the BBB (bbb.org) and it says that they can resolve disputes usually.

**TrafficMonsterRRR** · 11-20-2002, 03:25 AM

FOlks folks, there is another easier way out.

Okay I know it is not one of principle (you wanna "get" the bandids) but read on..

I ve dealt with Paypal directly on a similar issue and their policy is simple.

1) You paid for a domain name via a documented transaction ie Paypal, secure check-out cart etc -- as long as the name you paid for is *documented*.
2) You never took possessioin of the domain, or did you? You can show this by the whois history. You probalby don't have screenshots but do some now! They (acidhost) would have to bring proof that you sold it back to them which they don't have.
3) You are entitled to a refund. Paypal will reverse the charges.

Note:
I am assuming this all happened the last 30 days, right?

If not, why did you wait any longer?
Good luck.

PS Yu can also call the funding source of your Paypal account (credit card, bank) and they may also work to "protect you" based on the above argument.

**TrafficMonsterRRR** · 11-20-2002, 03:33 AM

Ok, I was curious so I did a whois. This all took place in the last 40 days or so right?
Did you ever take possession of the domain?

PS What is aschooglesnuglemugglepet.com???!

**TrafficMonsterRRR** · 11-20-2002, 03:42 AM

You re gonna think I am crazy but i remembered one more thing. Paypal has an online form that provides for this type of dispute. You do the compkaint on line. Make sure you choose from the pull down "never took possessioin of prorety". If you can't find it pm me tomorrow and I will find it for you , I go to Paypal all the time. This way they won't know you are underaged, that you used your mom's cc (j/k) etc etc ;-)

Assuming that you have some documentation to attach to it, it should be a no brainer.

OKay now I am going to bed finally.

schooglepets · 11-20-2002, 09:56 PM

but how is that going to get my domain name back? I don't care about the money as much as I do about the domain name. My website cannot survive without it.

**Togoodhlth** · 11-20-2002, 11:27 PM

To get the phone number of the local PD call information.

To find out where they are located go to whois.

The domain name is registered to a guy in California. I imagine this is the site owner?

Now you said they closed however the site the site is still up. If they closed I would imagine the site would be taken down. Did they temporarily close?

At any rate it sounds like they're not the brightest folks in the world and also don't have any money if they can't keep their business going and need to steal from you so I would imagine they would rather keep the profit from the domain name. The name is useless to them so i would definitely initiate the chargeback in hopes that Paypal contacts them and everything is worked out.

Again good luck and let us know how everything shakes out.

schooglepets · 11-20-2002, 11:34 PM

it says he is from north carolina when I look at the whois.

**Togoodhlth** · 11-22-2002, 12:42 AM

Sorry, my bad. I was looking at .com

**jberryhill** · 11-22-2002, 11:04 AM

"I got a host called acidhost.net and got a domain (schooglepets.com) through them. They got it from GoDaddy.com. "

There are various Hosting companies which register domains "for" their customers, and which establish the hosting company as the registrant of the domain name. If you care about your domain names, then don't use all-in-one services like that, unless you are absolutely clear that their policy is to establish their customer as the registrant of the domain name.

It is not clear from your question whether you were the registrant of the domain name or whether they were the registrant of the domain name. And by "registrant", I mean the legal entity identified in the whois as the contracting party with the registrar, period. Not the admin contact, not the billing contact, not some guy who paid to have the domain name registered.... I mean the *registrant*.

As of January 1, 2002, PayPal requires all users to be age 18 or older. There is a world of issues here which arises from your entering into contracts with various folks, but it's probably not fruitful to go into them here.

The registrant of the domain name is Alex Dagenhart. When you signed up for their services, did they at any time tell you that you would be the registrant of the domain name?

schooglepets · 11-22-2002, 05:12 PM

okay, i think the bbb scared them because two days after i complained to bbb acidhost.net contacted me about it....i only got them on my answering machine