Domain Registration Cuckoos

A Domain Registration Cuckoo is a Domain Registrar which uses the ethically questionable practice of sending out renewal notices to owners of domains registered through other domain registrars. These notices are worded and graphically designed to give the strong impression that the domain in question has been registered through the Cuckoo, and they are simply reminding you to renew. If you fill out the payment stub and send it in with payment, you effectively authorize them to transfer the domain to their registry, often at a much higher annual rate and possibly losing any extra services you had set up through your intended registrar.

Known Cuckoos

• Ilscorp.net
• LibertyNames

Discussion

Aero 13:29, 1 May 2005 (CDT)

Remember to put your domain in REGISTRAR-LOCK state to prevent any transfers (intentional or otherwise). If you don't, thanks to ICANN, here's what happens:

1. Someone (maybe you, maybe someone else) initiates a transfer with registrar B
2. Registrar A, who you actually registered the domain with, sends you an e-mail asking if this is OK.
   • If you respond to the e-mail saying it's okay, it goes through.
   • If you respond to the e-mail saying it's not okay, it doesn't go through.
   • If you don't respond to the e-mail, it goes through.

Scary, huh? So put your domain in REGISTRAR-LOCK until you actually intend to transfer it!!

Woozle 08:12, 8 May 2005 (CDT)

This sounds like good advice, although in my experience a lack of response to the email causes the transfer to fail. Has there been a change of policy in the last 2 years or so?