Domain name???

They have: 41 posts

Joined: Feb 2004

I have just had someone AIM (AOL INSTANT MESSENGER) me, and say they own 51% of my domain name.

They said, that they bought shares of it from a stock broker.

I said that this was impossible to own my domain, that I registered, and he disagreed.

I then went to go to my forums this morning and my database for my forum was down. He said he and his stock broker shut the database down to the PHPBB forum. I couldnt see any problm in the database, or files that would cause the database to shut down, even though it was working fine the night before.

He said his IP was on my Access logs, but I unfortunatly didnt keep my access logs.

Is this possible, if so, can I not take him to court, being as I pay for that domain, database, and website, and yet he claims he payed 0.05 for 1 share. and bought 51% of ownership for the domain name?

HostNifty
Quality shared and reseller UK hosting
http://www.hostnifty.co.uk

DC_Sara's picture

She has: 392 posts

Joined: Jan 2002

If you have registered this domain with a domain registar, contact them to see what the deal is. I would tend to lean towards this sounds like they are messing with you, do you know this person? Is there a grudge of some sort between you and them?

I thought that once you register and keep the renewals up it's yours. Please keep this thread up-to-date, I'm interested now!

~*Sara*~

They have: 41 posts

Joined: Feb 2004

I will, I thought exactly the same as you. Ive contacted my host, but they havent got back to me yet.

I dont know this person, but its weird how I was on his messenging list. Im still going to check everything out though.

Ive read through a few domain policys, and accoring to them, its mine. Also, I checked WHOIS, for domain ownership, and it came back with my details...

HostNifty
Quality shared and reseller UK hosting
http://www.hostnifty.co.uk

DC_Sara's picture

She has: 392 posts

Joined: Jan 2002

Did you buy your domain name through your host? If not, go to the registrar and ask, most have a contact for help with questions like this.

They have: 41 posts

Joined: Feb 2004

I bought my domain through Yahoo domains, as Yahoo is my host.

They have a section called Yahoo Domains, and they will tell me all I need to know hopefully.

Anyway, I will keep in touch and update the thread when I find out.

HostNifty
Quality shared and reseller UK hosting
http://www.hostnifty.co.uk

TargetZion's picture

He has: 76 posts

Joined: Mar 2004

How would he buy a share in your domain? And more to the point, who decided how much, and how many shares there were available? In my experience, a business (i.e. YOU) has to make the decision to sell shares in your product/business. But on a not so great note, in the past (I'm not sure about now, as the policy scared me off yahoo services) Yahoo claims ownership of anything on their servers. So essentially if you used Geocities to build your site, yahoo owns your content. That's the way it used to be, and might still be. I'd look into it.

What's the URL by the way?

TargetZion's picture

He has: 76 posts

Joined: Mar 2004

Just a quick afterthought:

How does five cents constitute 51% of your domain value?
It costs at least $7.95 (in my experience) just to register one.

DC_Sara's picture

She has: 392 posts

Joined: Jan 2002

I pay $13.50 a domain with my registrar. It's expensive, but I don't have and haven't had any problems with anything. Smiling

They have: 42 posts

Joined: Oct 2003

Don't Believe the Hype. As long as you registered your domain, and you are the only one with the password, then you are in full control of it.

The only way someone could own part of your domain is if they have a signed contract agreement with you.

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JeevesBond's picture

He has: 3,956 posts

Joined: Jun 2002

It's also possible they've hacked the Yahoo server and broken your site somehow, although that sounds quite unlikely.

I cannot imagine that buying a share of your domain is possible, a domain is not classified as a PLC company and as Zion said; it's up to you how you classify your business!

a Padded Cell our articles site!

mairving's picture

They have: 2,256 posts

Joined: Feb 2001

Hey, I just bought the other 49%. I am kidding, of course, and own it as much as he does. What version of PHPBB are you running? If you are running an older version, he probably hacked into it. That is how he got your AIM and was able to shutdown your database. Either that or you had a password that was easily guessed.

Mark Irving
I have a mind like a steel trap; it is rusty and illegal in 47 states

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