Wait ... what?

[thecomputerguy]

I contacted a client because I needed to get in contact with a person who is controlling her nameservers to make some DKIM/DMARC changes.

She goes, "Ok, I'll find someone but PLEASE can you PLEASE be very careful when you make any changes to that?"

Me, "Of course, DNS changes are incredibly important to get right the first time, it's not something I take lightly when changing."

She says, "Ok because the last time you made changes you put my domain up for sale at Godaddy and I lost it and I had to buy it back from someone for $500."

"Wait... what? When did this happen? That is absolutely not something I would do, never, never, ever. Are you sure it didn't expire or something and you had to pay backed fees or something along those lines?"

Her, "No you put it up for Sale. It happened about 6 months ago"

Me, "Ok well you need to tell me stuff like this, this doesn't sound right AT ALL."

WHAT?

 

[timeshifter]

Well at least she isn't coming after you for the $500.

 

[GTP]

Would you not remember something like that? Putting a clients domain up for sale would be a fairly memorable occurrence.
Why would they not tell you immediately rather that 6 months after it happened?
I'm sure there's more to this saga....

 

[thecomputerguy]

Would you not remember something like that? Putting a clients domain up for sale would be a fairly memorable occurrence.
Why would they not tell you immediately rather that 6 months after it happened?
I'm sure there's more to this saga....

She's not mad about it surprisingly ... But I have never even sold a domain I'm not even sure what that process looks like.

 

[GTP]

...sold a domain I'm not even sure what that process looks like.

It's not a complicated thing to do. Domain Registrars have links on their websites to facilitate starting the process.
You would remember doing it as there are a few steps involved; not least proof of ownership of the domain.

She's not mad about it surprisingly

Still, your good name is a tad sullied.

(Imho) I'd be investigating further.

 

[thecomputerguy]

It's not a complicated thing to do. Domain Registrars have links on their websites to facilitate starting the process.
You would remember doing it as there are a few steps involved; not least proof of ownership of the domain.


Still, your good name is a tad sullied.

(Imho) I'd be investigating further.

I went through her billing history at GoDaddy and saw no purchasing indicating brokering the domain, makes no sense.

 

[timeshifter]

Is there a way to see the chain of ownership for a domain name?

Also, I’m going to put my money on “she was scammed”. She never lost control of her domain, a scammer told her that and got a payday.

 

[GTP]

Over the years I've had multiple scam emails stating that my website had been taken by someone else and to get it back I needed to pay $500~15k to re-register it in my name.
(I'm sure I posted one of the emails on Technibble?)
These emails were (mostly) from Chinese sources.
They asked for information like Name, address, phone numbers etc for "verification purposes."
I never responded to them...

 

[phaZed]

For sure a scam email.. or that "Domain Registration" Snail mail (spam) you get when your domain gets close to renewal.

 

[gadgetfixup]

ICANN records would show a change of ownership if it occurred. I agree with the consensus that she was scammed and never lost her domain. Her emails and website would have all been down if such a thing happened and she would have raised the roof immediately.

 

[Markverhyden]

Is there a way to see the chain of ownership for a domain name?

Also, I’m going to put my money on “she was scammed”. She never lost control of her domain, a scammer told her that and got a payday.

Almost guaranteed it was one of those Domain Registration scams where the scammer, using FUD, makes the unsuspecting domain owner think that they're domain will stop working unless they pay the fee. There's only 2 ways a domain can get sold. One is if the owner doesn't pay for the renewal. Second is if the Domain owner of record puts it up for sale. Sample scam snail mail attached. Personally I'd never take ownership of a domain that is not related to me. As in purchase a domain for customer use. If nothing just to cover the hit by a bus thing.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I went through her billing history at GoDaddy and saw no purchasing indicating brokering the domain, makes no sense.

She got scammed and “repurchased” her “sold” domain. None of that happened. Some con artist took her money because she was too ignorant/stupid to know better. But I don’t know why she is blaming you for that. I‘d be really insulted at that but I would have to think that she isn’t even aware of what she just accused you of.

 

[Sky-Knight]

There are two ways this happens.

1.) As many have pointed out, the plethora of scams cheating ignorant people out of money because they're ignorant.
2.) Improperly secured registrar credentials were fished, or breached and the domain was offloaded.

The latter is VERY technically destructive, and you'd have known about it. MFA all the things, do not give anyone the password to the registrar. Godaddy has Federation for this crap for a reason.