Zen Garden > Domain Name Rort - WARNING - Don't Let This Happen to You

Domain registration sites will collect your proposed domain names, register the names themselves and THEN try to sell them back to you at vastly inflated prices.

I have been through it several times.

But here is a WARNING on what I have noticed.

I went to do a domain search at a very big, popular domain registration company before I named my latest website www.turn-debt-into-wealth.com.

That name was about the 4th favorite name that I had.

I spent two days brainstorming and I had a list of about a dozen pretty good names.

Anyway, I searched my two favorite names and BOTH were available - according to this domain registration site. Yippee!

I wanted to "sleep on them" before I made my final choice. I went back the next day and found, much to my dismay, that they had both been registered overnight and that I had to make an "offer" to get them. I guess that means they were now going to be sold to me at a vastly inflated price. Hmm. BOTH of them... That seemed a really odd co-incidence!

I was rather depressed about this so, I checked on my THIRD favorite name. It was available. I went back the next day just to check before I registered it and guess what? Yep, same thing. It had now been "taken." Double hmm. Or should I say: "triple hmm." I was beginning to smell a rat. In fact, the air was definitely tinged.

Anyway, to cut a long story short... my 4th name that I eventually registered was not going to get checked at that site or any other site.

I figured that somebody there was capturing intended names and deliberately making them unavailable so that you had to spend a lot more money to buy them.

I registered my eventual domain name. It was available but I was still annoyed because I thought I had been conned at that other site where I had done my checking.

Now I know that this is probably vindictive but here is what I did...

FIRST, I chucked out the three names that I could not have. I just purged them from my mind - no good dwelling on them. They were gone - either by honest or dishonest means. But they were gone. Move on.

Then...

I made up some really silly names that included my keywords. They were really dumb. I went back to that "domain (un)availability" site and I fed in about 20 of the worst names that I could come up with.

I hope the folks there took all of them. They might as well have them - NOBODY in their right mind would want any of them. I never bothered to check. I suspect that place is running a nice little con and I detest that sort of thing. Hence, my counter-play. I know. I shouldn't have done it but they bit me twice.

So, BEFORE you register just be really careful where you do your checking. In fact, I'd advise not to check any of your proposed names until you try your best name and, if it is available - buy it IMMEDIATELY.

I hope this really helps people who are looking to register a domain name.

About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."

Gary Simpson is a 7th Dan karate master who teaches self defense, motivation, self help and wealth building to students around the world through home study courses. You may reprint this article as you include this author credit and an active link to his web site. Finance - Self Help - Motivation - Self Defense - Personal Growth MotivationSelfEsteem.com