I think that David’s reply was clear, detailed, accurate, and very much to the point. Even though David is not an attorney, he obviously is familiar with legalese and contracts. If Kieran and ICANN want to serve the public (and not just the leaders of the registration industry), then Kieran should re-read David’s reply. David is not rude, obnoxious, nor rambling. The entire letter is professional.

I have over 180 domains with Registerfly and all transfered successfully. There is a “bulk pricing” on godaddy’s site. When renewing 6+ domain names at a time, you can get a discount as well. Over 20 domains and the prices are about the same as with discount codes. There are also many GoDaddy coupons here. It saved me quite a lot.

As an amusing note in order to burn up the money I still had on account with them (but will never see refunded) I placed an order for a VPS back on June 19th. Despite debiting my account for the order immediately, they still have not provided any VPS and have closed three support calls about it with no reply and deleted one other (also with no reply). So my guess is that Robert O’ Neill’s claim that “We are NOT OUT OF BUSINESS…” isn’t worth the pixels it’s printed on.

This post makes me uneasy. When did this happen? Why does your link to RegisterFlies not work? And why do you think it appropriate to post this long chatty post on the ICANN blog?

There are a few details in the story how you tell it that make me uncertain that this is either the whole story or an accurate version of what happened.

If you can get back, or email me personally at kieren dot mccarthy at icann dot org, I will review this but at the moment my intention is to remove this post in the next few days.

Kieren McCarthy
General manager of public participation, ICANN

I am was told over at registerflies.com to post my story here.
http://www.registerflies.com/smf/the-registerfly-debacle/registerfly/registerfly-horror-stories/bye-bye-domains-…/0-topicseen-topicseen.html

Registerfly stole my two domains.

After numerous attempts to transfer my domains to somewhere else I got someone on live support:

[---------------------------------------------------------------]
Chat InformationHello, Welcome to 24/7 Registerfly.com Customer Support Service. Please wait for a site operator to respond. Your call will be answered in the order that it was received.
Chat InformationYou are now chatting with ‘Jim Jones’

Jim Jones: Hello, Welcome to Registerfly LIVE Chat, This is Client Support Representative Jim, How may I Help you?
Johnny: Hello Jim
Jim Jones: Hello
Johnny: I’m having some problems with the transfer of my two domains
Johnny: I started the transfer before the expiration date
Johnny: but the transfer wasn’t started and now the domains are in redemption status
Johnny: I have a couple of support tickets open that date from last week about it but until now I didn’t receive any response from Registerfly except the mention that I had to renew the domains
Johnny: So, I did the renew procedure but received the error that the domains could not be renewed and that I needed to contact Registerfly
Johnny: which I did with no response.
Johnny: I have the amount for the renewal in my account for a total of 17.x$
Johnny: so, can you please tell me why after all this time I still have no answer from Registerfly and most importantly – > when will this be solved?
Jim Jones: your domains are in redemption period
Johnny: yes, which means that the owner (me) can renew them with the registrar.
Jim Jones: and you will have to reregister your domains as the registry of these domains has fallen down
Johnny: the domains went in redemption period because I didn’t get an activation code to start the transfer from Registerfly. and last time I checked a owner of a domain that is in redemption period can be retrieved through the registrar
Johnny: and that is the answer that I’ve gotten from Registerfly. That I needed to pay the amount which I did.
Johnny: so the only thing that needs to be done now is that Registerfly retrieves those domains.
Johnny: FYI: the REDEMPTION PERIOD provides the owner with one last chance to recover the domain before it’s dropped and potentially re-registered by a new owner. It is a new policy started by ICANN and the Registry Operator, Verisign.
Jim Jones: you can reregister it sir
Johnny: reregister or renew ? because a register gives the message that the domain is not available since it is in redemption
Jim Jones: yes you will have to reregister your domain after 2 days
Jim Jones: pleaes try it after 2 days
Johnny: I have tried again and they are submitted to the queue
Johnny: what after 2days ? 2 days from now or when the redemption is over ?
Johnny: I’ve looked here in the current status and this is the result: “Failed: Unable to renew currentexpirationyear must be a four-digit year.”
Johnny: I don’t understand what is the problem.
Jim Jones: soon redemption period will be over
Johnny: A domain that is in redemption period can be reinstated by the Registrar
Johnny: it is not an extra service that some provide but one that is specified by ICANN
Jim Jones: and you could reregister the domain after 2 days
Jim Jones: please try it later not now
Johnny: so Jim, for the record: you are telling me that Registerfly refuse to reinstate a domain that is in redemption???
Johnny: here is the response that I got from the Registerfly support: “Responses from Customer Support [2007-01-18] Hello Johnny, The domain “******.com” and “******.com” are found to be in your expired list. Kindly renew your domains before transferring to another registrar. Regards, Bob Curtis Client Support Executive Registerfly.com INC ICANN Accredited Registrar”
Jim Jones: sir the registry of these domains has fallen down
Johnny: yes I know
Jim Jones: in this case you will have reregister the domain
Jim Jones: and can not be renewed now
Johnny: No, the domains are in “redemption period”
Johnny: and domains that are in redemption period CAN be re instated by the original registrar, in this case Registerfly
Johnny: so instead of waiting to the redemption period to be over, the domains must be re instated by Registerfly
Johnny: Hello Jim, do you have any news?
Jim Jones: I am sorry for it sir
Jim Jones: it will be reregistered only
Johnny: and why? I presume that a company that says that it’s ICANN accredited follows it’s simple rules?
Johnny: so, what you are telling me is that I need to wait until the redemption period is over before being able to reregister the domains? and this while it can be simply resolved if Registerfly reinstate them?
Jim Jones: I am sorry for it sir
Jim Jones: hello sir r u there?
Johnny: yes I am
Johnny: Is that an official answer from Registerfly?
Jim Jones: Pleaes cooperate with us and your patience is highly appreciated
Johnny: cooperate?
Jim Jones: Please reregister your domain after 2 days
Johnny: How much more cooperation do you want then?
Johnny: after more than a week I didn’t receive any reply on my support tickets
Johnny: I get the message from a registerfly employee telling me that I need to renew the domains
Johnny: I do that but instead I get an error telling me that the year must be a 4-digit number when send. that is something at level of registerfly
Johnny: I kindly ask to reinstate the domains which are in redemption period and I get the answer that I need to wait until this period is over and the reregister the domains.
Johnny: And you keep telling me that you are sorry, and that my patience is highly appreciated??? I mean come on …
Jim Jones: I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to you
Johnny: As a ICANN registrar I expect the service that is bound to it…
Johnny: And can you tell me why it can’t be done ?
Johnny: So for the last time, will Registerfly uphold the ICANN rules as one of its registrars or not ?
Johnny: that’s the only thing that I need to now at this point
Johnny: and don’t take this personal since I understand that you have nothing to do with it.
Johnny: But I’m sure that this is not how it’s supposed to be handled.
Johnny: I’m sure that there must be at least one supervisor or manager over at Registerfly that understands what an ICANN Accredited Registrar is obligated to do.

Chat InformationChat session has been closed by the site operator. Thank you for using RegisterFly.com live Chat and have a great day!
[---------------------------------------------------------------]

And what a great day I had …

I’ve posted numerous support tickets that were never answered for and simply deleted or closed after a couple of weeks. I have although a copy of them so I in my endless hope that someone at RegisterFly would even care about the customer I wrote them a letter with everything in it, the chatlog, the screenshots, the support tickets but as the days went by so did the hope to a solution… and reality started to kick in. A reality were I’ve been screwed over and over and over by RegisterFly.

After the redemption period was over I thought to myself “hey, let’s renew my domains.”

So I started the procedure only to see the message that the domains were already registered. “Could it be that RegisterFly took it’s responsibility and reinstated my domains ?”

And then reality came knocking, both domains were taken by a company who’s name said it all, I don’t know the name anymore since when I came back the next days to write it down the domains already changed owner…

Anyway, when browsing to the domains I got the message that they were for sale so I clicked the link which brought me back to the registrars website telling me that I could buy them for a small price of 100.000USD, yes… “one hundred thousand US dollars“ … each.

I had domain name value estimation done a couple of months ago and the price was +-100.000USD so I guess they wanted to cash in.

Ever since I go back to look at the whois information, and the domains change owner more often that I change my underpants.

I know one thing for sure and that is if I lived in the US that I would pay a visit to mr Medina and shove his Chihuahua up his ***, he’s for sure on my list.

Kieren

Log into your Registerfly account, get a list of the domains then go do a whois on the record (I like whois.sc/yourdomain.ext ) and see who the official registrar is. If it says godaddy and it’s not in the account, possibly you have multiple accounts. If it says enom, etc, then that domain is with that registrar and you will have to contact them directly.

Kieren is correct in that Godaddy can help as they can also lookup the data, but it might be faster for you to look it up first before calling them.

GoDaddy purchased all of RegisterFly’s domain in a commercial deal. You should contact GoDaddy customer service.

Kieren McCarthy
General manager of public participation, ICANN

I just logged into my GoDaddy account and they only have 35 of my domains in there. I had 100 with registerfly!!!!! Where the hell are my other 70 domains?????????????????? I can’t believe this. CAN SOMEONE HELP?????????????????