"stealing" domain names by Israeli registrar

[Geoffrey Mendelson]

2009/4/30 Boaz Rymland <boaz at rymland.com>:
> Well well. Its seems like we are not even breaking grounds here. The trick's
> has been around for some time now.
>
> Thanks for the links. Informative indeed.

Around 2000, an investment banker, burned out from the market, started
a company called "Golden Names" in Jerusalem. (Jerusalem of Gold, get
it?) Golden Names was an investment bank as it were for domain names.
They bought the rights to almost every domain name possible that they
thought had commercial potential.

Then they held on to them and sold them to the highest bidder.

They have since gone under.

The domain registrars often put holds on domain names their customers
search for. That way they have a choice of getting a name they want
after looking at the options. It also prevents people from hearing
their idea and grabbing their domain name.

This heavily favors people who are repeat customers of the larger
registrars because the registrar can afford to put holds on names.
Some of them do more than hold names, they actually buy them and then
expect to sell them back at a large profit.

Geoff.
-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
Jerusalem, Israel