Connecting the dots, tracing tracks! New Ventures Services Corp is one of those “who is that” kind of “services / companies” that “sells” domain names and nobody really knows who they are. Well, I traced the tracks and all roads lead to Network Solutions/ Register.com / aka Web.com!
Register.com is a dirty cherry picking company! Domains expire, they cherry pick them, keep some, offer them for sale at higher than normal expired auction prices etc.
When a Register.com registered domain name expires, the domains switch to the domain name servers ztomy.com . Then they often list the domain for sale on Snapnames with a buy it now type price, sometimes in the hundreds, thousands etc. They did this in the past, not sure if they currently do, so lets do some live digging:
BadgerEnterprise.com Expired 8/2/2014. If I were to go to Register.com and “search” to see if the domain is “available”, I get a message that the domain “taken” but next to the search box is a “make offer to buy BadgerEnterprise.com. This links to an Afternic page http://www.afternic.com/rcom.php?ref_id=2987&name=badgerenterprise.com rcom is Register.com’s sales page / which was created specially for Register.com directly on Afternic. Basically a broker sales page.
That example is a “pretty fresh domain” and isn’t listed on Snapnames.com yet, but simply shows that Register.com is trying to sell these domains right after they expire and not via expired domain auction that the public can bid on the domain at a low standard price. Register.com is holding these domains (basically renewing them and keeping them).
AlwaysSet.com
The domain name was registered on 6/3/2012 and a website is built on the domain. The domain expires and within 3 days of expiring, Registercom is shown as the registrants of the domain name. The registrant remains this way until 7/17/2013 when:
Registrant:
New Ventures Services
New Ventures Services
PO BOX 459
Drums, PA 18222
US
Phone: +1.9027492701
Email: [email protected]
Is displayed in whois and remains this way today. The domain is listed for sale via Afternic with a buy it now of $350 USD. Connection, current whois data and Afternic listing account “Register2”
AllTopCare.com
A little different because this domain is registered with Names4Ever.com / Aplus.net
Registered 6/3/2013 to a Lawrence Small, domain expires 1 year later and whois switches to:
Registrant Name: Private Registration
Registrant Organization: SyncSuite LLC
Registrant Street: 110 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 1650
Registrant City: Fort Lauderdale
Registrant State/Province: FL
Registrant Postal Code: 33301
Registrant Country: US
Registrant Phone: +1.8556242611
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant Fax:
Registrant Fax Ext.:
Registrant Email: [email protected]
7/17/2014 whois record displays: New Ventures Services. Domain is listed for sale via Afternic.com for $1,277 . The domain was listed on August 1, 2014. “Register2” is the Afternic seller…
GoFactoryOutlet.com
This domain has some bad history to it and was actually seized by the government as documented in the past here on DotWeekly prior to me losing my database. TheDomains.com wrote about the domain selling and pointed to Homeland Security profiting from the “sale” but again, this tracks back to the domain expiring, NSI “keeping” the domain, then “selling” it via “New Ventures Services, Corp”
Since this domain was registered with Network Solutions (another Web.com registrar), it simply took a little different route. When this domain expired, it ventured to the domain name servers of “NS92.KOLMIC.COM” instead of ZtoMy.com
If GoFactoryOutlet.com did sell, it sold about 1/13/2013 and not at the time of Michaels article but I think the “profile group” is some bs company and likely still tied to Web.com.
I could track thousands and thousands of domains and link them back to Register.com / Web.com / NetworkSolutions.com and many, many more registrars owned by each of the major services and likely over 300,000 domains will link back to New Ventures Services, Corp which in the end is Web.com!
As you can see in some of the screenshots, “Register2” has 165,808 domains listed with Afternic.
I have never been a fan of domain name registrars who cherry pick expired domains and the general public is not allowed to bid in an open auction to obtain the domain. I have said that ICANN needs to step in and set an expired domain sales process that all registrars must follow but that will likely never happen. Most domain registrars offer expired domains directly to public auction, but many do not and that list is growing thanks to Web.com. Tucows is another picker and one I expressed displeasure with many times in the past!
If all the major domain registrars keep getting gobbled up, there potentially could be no more “expired domain auctions” to the public. Expired domains can be held by the registrar and simply done with how they see fit. That is a bit scary.
Other likely connections
domain name server: searchreinvented.com
If you owned a domain name and had it registered with NetworkSolutions.com and let it expire for whatever reason, don’t let them tell you that “another company” now owns the domain. This is very much not likely the case if New Ventures Services Corp is listed in whois information. Network Solutions still has control of the domain name (in the vast majority of cases) and they are likely willing to sell it to you at a certain price. A lot higher than the renewal.
If you didn’t hold up to your part and didn’t pay your renewal fee on time, then be sure you are aware of what the TOS is at the registrar you use and what is stated. Most of the time, if your domain reaches the expired date, the registrar can do as they wish with the domain name at that point. If you are with-in about 20-25 days after that expire date… most domain registrars will give you your domain name back, often at the normal renewal rate or a small fee plus the renewal.
If for any reason New Ventures Services Corp shows up on your domain even 1 day prior to expiring.. this is stealing and they have no right to take your domain name until the expire date if you do not renew. Name servers will often change on the 3rd day after expiring and this is often what alerts the domain owner and it’s a bit late at this point, but you should be able to get the domain back yet! Call the registrar directly and speak to them.
I suggest using the following two domain name registrars. GoDaddy.com and Uniregistry.com
As much as I would like to help everybody with their specific domain name, I can NOT take phone calls and spend hours trying to help everybody. I am willing to do this for a fee if you need further advice. I tried to provide a fair amount of information in this article to help you. Call the registrar directly and try dealing with them. If you have other domains registered with them, I suggest you transfer them OUT to the two state registrars I mentioned.
New Ventures Services Corp is a vulture predatory shell company used by the three sirens to warehouse and sell expiring domains: Web.com, Register.com, and Network Solutions:
http://www.yourbusinessisyou.blogspot.com/2014/07/warning-if-you-own-domain-names-avoid.html
Long article, but NO ADS.
You are more kind than I am.
These are douche bag corporations, dirty and filthy, through and through.
Enom, Tucows and Godaddy do the same sort of thing just in a different way. Been doing it for years.
I know that Go Daddy sells expired domains, but they give the domain owner up to 45 days to renew, albeit at an $80.00 premium (after about day 12-15). No sneaky crap behind your back or customer service that pretends to “have your back,” when, in fact, they are sticking you in the back.
I would like to see ICANN to come out with some clear cut rules regarding expired names, making policies consistent across all the registrars. I like the idea of offering the registrant 30-45 days to renew and refraining from auctioning expired domains until after that time.
Warehousing expired domains by registrars and their shell companies ought to be strictly forbidden because such behavior is a clear conflict of interest. I have complained about this for years.
I don’t know about Enom and Tucows — I have no personal history with them, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Hi Jamie, I just came across this article
I bought a domain on Snapnames over a month ago, I got the confirmation in my snapnames account that I had won it, I got the emails x three from Snapnames showing I won and it was being processed, I got the email that the payment had been made, I then got the letter from the new register myportalexpress.com (also owned by Register.com) to click the link and create my account with the domain.
I did all that and changed the nameservers to my parking site, I also made sure the domain was LOCKED
I just checked my account and it was there 2 days ago, now today – THE DOMAIN IS GONE !!
Over a month later and its just dissappeared , the whois was all showing in my name and email, the domain was in my account……..and then the whois was changed to Newvcorp.com,
I got NO notification or emails from ANYBODY, not Snapnames, not myportalexpress.com or Register.com
So at the moment to me this looks like THEFT, just taken right out of my Register.com account !
I’ll keep you posted when I find out exactly what is going on here?
maybe the infamous Halvarez is back in action lol !
Not sure what is up with that. I would get a hold of SnapNames directly and see what is going on. Also to note, the past couple of days, domain names have been stolen (by hackers). Some that I’m aware of were transferred to Register.com . Not saying it’s a connection but just wanted to make sure you were aware of it. Most domains stolen where taken from Moniker. If you have an account at Moniker and had some kind of connection (email, same login at etc.) it could be the case. In general, I’d contact SnapNames and see what they discover.
Hi Jamie,
I had not heard about that but I doubt it would have anything to do with that as I think this domain has been at Register.com all along, I tried to buy it about a year ago on Snap but it dissapeared in to their personal collection..as they do when you show an interest in a certain domain a few minutes before the bidding ends!
The funny thing is I was contacted by email by someone wanting to buy it, I said it was not for sale as I intend to use it , then it mysteriously dissapeared right from my account and ended up in Newvcorp.com account, even though I LOCKED the domain and have owned it for over a MONTH
This is nuts,
I’v contacted Register.com and Snapnames, just waiting to hear back from them
Thanks
Well, it looks like they’ve gone to a new low. I got an email from Network Solutions 3 weeks ago that my domains will expire if I don’t make a payment ASAP. I called them up within hours of getting the email, and the rep said they tried to run an old card and it was rejected. I gave her my new credit card information and renewed for 5 years. The rep said it was taken care of and my domains were safe. Three weeks later and without any further notification from Network Solutions (I even went through the countless junk emails they send me to be sure) my domains were gone, and now owned by Ventures Services!! I called Network Solutions and was initially told that they see I called and will rectify the problem. After getting the run-around for the past 5 days, a supervisor told me there was nothing more they could do. It took me all of 30 seconds to find that, as I suspected, Ventures Services and Network Solutions were one and the same. The company I had been paying for over 7 years to host my domains had hijacked them in order to get more money from me!!! Needless to say, the loss of my emails and websites has cost me financially and professionally. ICANN must regulate these companies so this doesn’t continue to happen.
I am going through this same thing as I type. I never got a notice saying I was up for renewal and actually I still own it until tomorrow but because my cc had expired they sold my domain to New Ventures and of course they are willing to sell it back to me for $399. there is NO ONE out there that could or would use my domain name seeing it is my legal business name, however the loss of the profits from the web site for the next 20 days will be huge!
I have a client who recently had a similar experience with Network Solutions. They purchased their domain through them on Aug 23, 2014 for one year, as well as, a few services like web hosting and web forwarding which had monthly renewals. I have a feeling that the card did not work on the monthly renewals (as that person whose card was used left the company). Well, low and behold, now the domain is gone and is being resold and New Venture Services is the owner.
I am appalled at what happened and believe what they did is illegal. I am recommending now to my clients to move off them immediately. BTW, that’s about 300 domains. And, we are considering providing a complaint to ICANN.
I have been alerting this for years. These guys profit without any risk and are making unfair competition to us all. And one day they will use the profits to buy domains in auctions. And guess what? they are already going to auctions. And recently I had a domain being bought outright by NewVenturesCorp through a Sedo BIN.
ICANN says that they can only retain domains under “extenuating circumstances”. After several months trying to get some direct answer regarding this matter from ICANN and the fact that registrars are doing this every day and they do nothing to stop it, here is what they have to say:
”
To make a complaint about a registrar you would need specific examples where this has happened, and then contact Compliance with the specific details and your reasoning why this does not comply with the RAA. Compliance do not generally investigate complaints about general policy but deal with specific issues. But you can also get involved with ICANN through the supporting organisations, and advocate for changes which you believe need to be made. There is no requirement to pay any fee to join one of the supporting organisations, and the ICANN meetings themselves are open to anyone. If you believe policies need to change, this is the usual way to pursue such changes.
If you are concerned that there is no specific form to complain about this, then I suggest you use one of the forms which is similar. They will not reject the complaint because it is not on the correct form.
”
I suggest that everyone of us start making formal complains with actual examples to ICANN. at least, by this way they will not be able to say they didn’t know anything about it.
How do you make a formal complain to ICANN? I would be more than happy to file a complaint against Network Solutions as I am going through this whole thing right now.
Irene, ICANN does not have a form for this situation which is per se evidence of bad faith. but you can use this form to submit a generic complaint:
https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/whois/service-form
@Ms Domainer, great post
for renewal situations pleas use this ICANN form:
https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/renewal/form
Thank you! I have also contacted channel 6 to hopefully do a story here in Maine!
Irene,
I’m fairly certain that any news outlet will want to know the domain name itself.
The only way these sleazeballs will face consequences is if we are willing to come out of the shadows and expose these criminals to the public, ICANN, and law enforcement.
To steal a domain not yet expired from a customer is against ICANN rules.
Of course, ICANN doesn’t care — they are too busy throwing big parties for themselves — on our dime.
Jen,
I gave them my domain name and did file a complaint with ICANN, but as you say, they don’t care. I have changed my domain name to signetmonogramming.net and will just use that. Luckily I have a large client list on facebook that are all going to click on the new link to hopefully move it back up the line in google etc but it just makes me angry that they could get away with this. I even spoke with American Express this morning and they NEVER took back the funds, they just said that I did not recognize the charge and what was it for. Any NORMAL company would contact me and answer the question OR send back to American Express that it was for my domain name, not just cancel and sell my name before it had even expired. Trying to sell it back to me for $399 before it was due to expire is theft no doubt about it. We just need to get enough people to file complaints and then maybe something will be done! Looking back, I had been a customer of theirs for 10 years? I think they go after the ones that have had a domain name a long time and it will increase their odds of getting more money for it.
@Irene,
SignetMonogramming.com had no valid registrant email address “[email protected]” as shown in whois history. They do have a right to do “something” with the domain due to invalid whois data. I stated something, as I didn’t have time to read the TOS, but I know domain names can be deleted from the registry due to invalid whois data. The domain name was set to expire on 2/10/2015 (today). As of 12/23/2014, the expire date was extended to 2/10/2017 but still no valid email address shown in whois for the registrant email. I assume that American Express did a chargeback on the renewal funds? I agree that NSI has no right to the domain prior to it expiring!!!! So, on 2/8/2015 with New Ventures showing as the registrant, that should NOT happen no matter what. I personally think they “play games” with the no.valid.email for the registrant, because they show an email address for the admin. Read the TOS carefully though, but again… they shouldn’t be shown in whois prior to it expiring and you should have access to it until the expire date, which is today!
@Jamie,
American Express did not do a chargeback, they just asked what the service was for, the chargeback only happens with them if AFTER we figure it out I did not charge it. I already had figured it out and had paid for it. I did call Network solutions as soon as I got a notice they were sending me a refund 2/6/15, and offered to pay with a different cc, they said the domain name was already sold. I had been using signetmonogramming.com for 10 years? It was on automatic renewal, issue was I hadn’t used that card in 3 years so I questioned the charge. They are crooks no doubt about it. They still have not called me back with my complaint but I have called them 5 times and only answer is there is nothing they can do! Lets hope Channel 6 picks up the story. Irene
Irene and others: the domain was not sold. it gets funneled to the “independent” company New Venture Services to make the all thing appear legitimate.
Registrars should not be allowed to take domains expired or not from previous owners. Actually, they are NOT allowed to do that unless under extenuating circumstances. And if they find those extenuating circumstances they MUST store the reasons for 3 years.
So, in your case Irene, ask Network Solutions how the domain went to New Ventures Services Corp. They will tell you they sold it according to their expiration policy. The problem is, the expiration policy is contrary to ICANN rules. in fact, ALL registrars are using similar expiring policies which are contrary to ICANN rules !
After they come to you with this nonsense, tell them that according to ICANN they must delete the domain unless extenuating circumstances:
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/registars/accreditation/eddp-en
And in that case they must show the extenuating circumstances that led them not delete the domain and MOVE it to their warehouse company New Venture Services Corp.
So, either they should have deleted your domain or let you renew it.
I have seen also a few times Network Solutions getting a domain back to their owner, after the expiration period, because their client had deep pockets and they did not want to mess with them or lose the client.
The bottom line, Irene, Network Solutions STOLE your domain from you and gave it to their “partner.”
It’s out and out theft, and the domain industry needs to come down hard on these rogue registrars who steal from their customers.
This should be treated like any other theft, complete with prison time for these operators.
New Venture Services picked up all of these domains that I used to own. They didn’t each produce $9.00 a year in parking revenue by an means so I’m not sure how they are making money unless they sell a fair amount of them on the afternic.com listings. Anyways, here is the list if it helps you do research.
DiscountGolfRates.com
CitizensAgainstWaste.com
BestStudentLoanOptions.com
BabiesForAdoption.net
childrenupforadoption.com
BettyWhite.net
AdultLoftBeds.com
extractingdna.com
federalbudgetbreakdown.com
genesanddevelopment.com
geneticcounselorsalary.com
geneticsworksheet.com
governmentspendingchart.com
grantsforstudentloans.com
howtogetfinancialaid.net
howstudentloanswork.com
lawyersinga.com
malpracticedefinition.com
maximumstudentloan.com
nationalstudentloans.net
payingoffstudentloans.net
processofadoption.com
puppyadoption.net
replicationofdna.com
sellyourstructured.com
studentloancosigner.com
usbudgetdeficit.com
typesofdna.com
tailgatecover.com
studentloanlimits.com
studentloaneligibility.com
I agree Jen, I doubt anything will happen but I have filed every form of complaint I can without actually hiring a lawyer. You know they never did call me back. There is an open ticket that they were supposed to answer and have never returned a call, I have called them and insisted on speaking to Manager but they have NEVER returned a call? If I ever hear back I will post!!
Weird. So glad I’m reading about all this. All my domain names I purchased through GoDaddy, and although the GoDaddy site feels like “Internet c.1999” and their Website Builder is even worse, I must say I’ve had nothing but good customer service from them in this regard. My credit card has expired in their servers at least once, and another time a couple of domains simply slipped by me— they were not set to auto-renew, and I was in the backcountry, zero connection to digital reality. In every case I actually got a phone call from their offices in Arizona telling me I needed to renew my domains, or that some of them had expired, and in every case I was able to renew them… now I’m hoping that I really do still own all those domains I’m sitting on. Hmm. I’ll go check.
But the reason I found this thread: I was typing my main business domain into Chrome and a pop-down alternative appeared that I’d never seen: a competitor of mine, one I’d never heard of! It was not just the url but also a brief blurb that sounded great, better than my own Google Places blurb. Curious, I clicked on it. The New Ventures Corp Inc. page popped up, trying to sell me that domain name! Um, hang on, a competitor of mine JUST BEGAN some sort of clever ad campaign that I need to figure out, and you’re telling me her domain is already expired?!
I don’t think so.
Yikes.
For all its flaws, I guess I’ll stick with GoDaddy for a while longer.
I had seriously considered moving my main domain to Network Solutions! Never mind.
(I do need a new site though, I know. Yes, I’m working on it)
UPDATE; I rec’d an e-mail from Network Solutions, they have given me back my domain name and have given me two years free of charge!
Comment * ohhh, so kind of them
Suggestion: transfer out ASAP.
You got your domain back because of these posts, not because of their good will.
Don’t trust them.
It also shows that Netsol is in cahoots with New Vultures, eh, Ventures Services, totally invalidating the “We-can’t-do-anything-about-it” argument.
And remember: They are already going after domains in the aftermarket. they are not only taking expired domains from their clients
Oh yes, I transferred the domain name the same day! It was NICE of them to give back what they should not have taken in the first place. I learned a lot from this experience and the new holder of the domain is a locally owned company, keeping right here in the State of Maine!!
Good for you, Irene!
Best wishes to you and your enterprise.
🙂
Thank you for this information. My domain was up for renewal. My company usually buys domains via godaddy but since our company is 14 years old, we had originally left it at networksolitions back when they were actually networksokutins.
Anyway, I was contacted by web.com ignite. They said they would renew our donain and put us in hundreds of search criterias and include renewing our domain. I paid them 99. Then out domain was given to this new ventures company and they are blackmailing me hundreds to get my domain back. Wow! This is fraud. When I asked if they were affiliated they said no.
Then when I called web.com they said yes. I afraid to pay them and still not have my domai name but we are actually a web company and mobile app dev so I’m afraid to pay them and I can’t pay network solutions because it says I cannot renew and have to go trough this company and repurchase the domain again for hundreds.
I suppose I al going to pay then transfer my domain to my godaddy account. I’m afraid to give them my credit card however.
I really don’t know why there are no class action law suits against this company. I believ Ive lost two clients already over this. You go to my domain name right now and it has ads on it with buy this domain even though I have a quote to retain this donain back.
It seems they are all liars and fraudulent domains hijacking thieves. If I have any issues beyond this, I will be posting a site with a lawyer to file class action law suit for others that have had cases like mine which is complete fraud. I’m sure I won’t have problems proving my case since I have been keeping a paper trail and recordin conversations etc so many others whose domains hVe been hijacked will know if they do not give me my domain back. In a small company but we have been damaged by this ignite program which we only signed up for because it would have only been an extra ten bucks and I could cancel the next month. Instead its hundreds and we still have no domain name mot to mention our clients sites are down due to using this as our DNS. I have recorded all my conversations and so far I have them lying about affiliation since new ventures said no they just purchased it and web dot come admitted this. Domain hijacking is so illegal I’m sure I could put thousands of people who have legitimately been scammed. Thanks for posting this!!!
theu keep blowing me off and trying to attack my card in the meantime. I can’t wait till they go under but with their blackmailing service it seems they must be doing well. We need to make everyone aware of this.
Thank you for this info.
Try complaining directly to ICANN, using the following link and form:
https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/registrars/standards-complaint-form
Urgent
Please help me.
I am buying a domain from New Ventures Services Corp.
Is it safe and reliable
It seems New Ventures Services Corp is not good
Should i do the deal with New Ventures Services Corp?
Thank you
@Sam,
You should be safe on the purchase. Always use an escrow type service for safety. It also doesn’t hurt to checkout how the domain was used in the past.
Hello Jamie Zoch
Thanks very much for your answer
Yes,i am doing the deal via escrow.com.
I just want to know if New Ventures Services Corp is a liar or not.
And confirm its domain is safe and legal.
As my domain is stolen lately,i must be careful
You think it is no problem,and then i will rest assured and pay to escrow.com later.
Thank you again for your help
Sincerely
Sam
Proceed with caution.
They have been known to change terms on you, by using your deal as an opening bid for an auction.
@Jen,
Sam stated the deal would be using Escrow.com, so that shouldn’t be the case… but anything is possible, just not likely using Escrow.com. If it was Sedo, then I could see a potential auction started.
Yes,they are putting the domain on auction in sedo.com now
Thanks for your reminding
Yes,they are putting the domain on auction in sedo.com now
Dang! I hate being right!
Hi Jamie,
New Vultures owns a domain very close to mine (they’re certainly getting traffic intending to find my company) and offers to sell it for $1,500, claiming it’s a ‘premium domain’, which it isn’t. What recourse do you recommend? Thx.
I was naive enough to register a domain on register.com with their monthly price and website builder. After a few months I decided to cancel because I wasn’t happy with it and I wanted to experiment elsewhere. I just went on go daddy to buy my domain for .99 for a whole year vs. 2.99 a month. But I found my domain was taken! They kept it! This is cruel. i hate that company and regret not looking into them further. They called me EVERY day for more sales!!!!! I was already a customer! I would find multiple messages in my voicemail. HORRIBLE company STAY AWAY.
I’m not into domains but found this searching the name new venture whTevdr the heck. I think you guys would be pretty intrigued to know how I came across the name and wanted
to search it
Bare with me as I’m pretty new to this…so if I buy a domain from new ventures but am afraid of losing my domain because of their practices is it possible to transfer (not sure correct term) ownership? to a company like godaddy? So my domain is safer?
@Chuck H,
For sure you can transfer your domain to GoDaddy, that is what I use.
Oh good, omg there needs to be more regulations on this. In no way would any of what I heard be ok in the real world..I dont see why digital should be any different. I’m dealing with new ventures right now and its a mess..I bought a domain from sedo and after the payment was made new ventures is trying to raise the price. Ridiculous.
@Chuck H,
I haven’t heard the “trying to raise the price” after purchase from them before, so that is interesting. Thanks for sharing and I hope all works out well with your transaction.
Register.com does something that used to be called “slamming/’ which was when a phone company ported your phone number to another carrier. Everytime you sign in to Register.com all of your AUTO RENEW check marks will appear and unless you uncheck them, you will end up paying for stuff you may not want anymore. Recently objected to one of the charges that was auto renewed and they turned around and cancelled the wrong domain, which now appears on NewVenture for sale at a premium price. These people have the business ethics of pornographers!
@Peter Buswell,
Did you contact them about the wrong domain they cancelled?